Changing Skins
by skittles84
Summary: Featuring all characters from the second generation. Dealing with the events after the season four finale, in the following weeks things begin to get really weird. Naomily, Freffy, Panda & Thomas, JJ, Cook, and Katie.
1. Pandamonium

**This is my first and maybe only fanfic, basically it's starting up about a month after the season 4 finale. **

Chapter One: Pandamonium

Panda had been crying for weeks—ever since she had found out about Freddie and Cook. Things couldn't have been worse; Freddie was dead, the police still hadn't found Cook's body, their killer was on the loose, Effy was back in the loony bin and it seemed like Katie was on her way there as well, and JJ had just disappeared. Emily and Naomi were a lot like she found herself and Thomas; trying to work their relationship back together in the midst of all this jumbled mess and feeling guilty for moments of happiness they found. They had both put off Harvard this year; they both knew it was probably a bad idea, but Panda wanted to be where the last of their friends were. With all that had happened Thomas wanted to be were Panda was. They were working on third time's the charm and even though he had gotten a flat of his own, he rationalized that he should stay close to home for his siblings.

Thomas had barely left her side since the police brought them in for questioning, but today he had to go to work and Panda found herself alone with reality. She did not like it—did not feel ready for it. When he was gone, she thought about what was happening. Then she would try to distract herself by thinking of how happy she was to have Thomas again, but then she would wonder if that was real or if he just felt sorry for her or if she was only with him because she wanted things to be like they were before all this. That would only bring her back to how everything was so wrong now. She was lying on the couch, a broken down loveseat they had found on a corner one day, in his flat. It reminded her of the first flat he had found when he was waiting for his family to join him, only this one was smaller and much closer to the club he used to work for. Panda's things littered the rooms here and there; it seemed like she was moving her room from home piece by piece at random. She decided to distract herself by picking up around the place, which eventually ended in her standing next to the door, pulling jackets from on top of the milk crate that they piled all their shoes in. She placed them on the wobbly chair on the other side of the door until she found one that wasn't either hers or her boyfriends and she realized it was one of JJ's. She shook it to try to knock out some of the wrinkles and a photo fell out of the pocket. Staring up at her from the floor were the three musketeers.

She didn't really know how she ended up outside of Effy's house; she had staggered out for a walk after finishing all the alcohol they had in Thomas's flat and this is where she had ended up. It was surprisingly warm that night and she was beginning to regret throwing on one of Thomas's extra coats before leaving; she struggled her way free from it and tied it around her waist. She thought she saw Effy's mom peeking out the window and turned around quickly hoping not to be noticed. Every time Ms. Stonem saw Panda, she would begin to cry and then Panda would sit for hours feeling like she was making things worse when she was just trying to make her friend's mother feel better. It was a testament to how useless she felt most of the time. She decided she should leave before actually being seen. Taking one last glance at the house, she noticed a guy standing on the sidewalk and staring up into Effy's room. She couldn't believe it, how many boys were obsessed with Effy? Not that Panda didn't see why; what she really wondered was how all those guys managed to never bump into each other in the roughly four feet of space they always seemed to gravitate to under her window, hoping for a glimpse. At any rate, as much as she didn't want to see Ms. Stonem, she didn't want her best friend's mom to have to deal with Effy's newest stalker.

"Hey!" She squeaked trying to sound bold. "Yeah you. She's not here and whoever you are, she's completely too good for you anyway and they've had loads of trouble so she doesn't need some new horny guy stalking her. You should just...just fuck off." She stopped to catch her breath. "Ok?"

"Geez Panda, I just want to know she's ok;, that's nothing new..." the guy replied, turning around.

He looked so much like Freddie, it actually made her stomach lurch, or maybe it was the liquor catching up with her. At any rate, she was going to lose all of it now. The boy jogged across the street to help her; she didn't feel like she could lift her head, so she slurred out, "it's not funny. You can't get a laugh by trying to get her to see you and think you're Freddie; it's cruel and I'll have Thomas beat you up. He'll beat you proper if I tell him."

The boy shook his head in utter confusion. "Thomas?" he said trying to hold back a laugh. "You'll have Thomas beat me up for acting like Freddie? What have you been taking? Look I swear I'm not trying to start anything, I just want to know if she's ok, I just want to see her." He shrugged. "I just... want to help."

"Everything goes wrong," Panda mumbled incoherently into the sidewalk. "If you're such a good guy then help me up." He took her arm and she shivered. "Well come on, help me up if you're so nice; it's really cold out here all of a sudden."

"I am helping," he huffed in frustration. "And I'm not that bad you know; I would do anything for her or any of you for that matter. What's wrong with acting like Freddie?"

"Because you can't be Freddie; that's just sick. You can't just try to be Freddie, she's not that crazy you..." She finally managed to lift her head up to look him in the eyes. She shot back as quick as she could, scratching her hands and legs on the concrete in the process.

"What all did you take Panda? It's just me—it's Freddie." And it was; down to every detail, every expression.

"You're alive!" Pandora gasped, and for a brief moment, she was filled with relief. "But no, you can't be; you got all chopped up. You're gone..."

"You're just messed up right now; I need to get you home. Come on, I'll help you." Freddie reached to help her up. He'd seen Panda pretty zoned out before, but this was a whole new level; usually she just passed out and needed a literal lift home.

"No, you're not here…go away…you're not real. We had to bury all your…your pieces and chunks in a little box!" she screamed. "Go away, go away." she squeezed against the wall behind her and covered her head with her arms. "Go away."

"Fine, I'll call Thomas so he can come get you," he said.

She peeked out between her arms as Freddie stood up, took out his phone, turned, and disappeared into thin air. "Blimey, I've gone loony..."

**I welcome and can handle constructive criticism, but please be nice. Also *I do not own Skins or any Skins characters***


	2. I'm Not Naomily Like This

Chapter Two: I'm Not Naomily Like This

Naomi and Emily cut through the park on their way back from dinner with the Fitch's; they walked in silence their hands barely grazing from time to time. Dinner had been tense; everything seemed tense lately. Emily couldn't help but think that the only good thing was that with all the shit that was happening, her mom seemed to see her and Naomi as the least of her worries. That still didn't keep her mom from making tiny comments or the room just a little uncomfortable; it simply didn't seem to be her number one goal anymore but instead more like an unconscious habit. She grabbed Naomi's hand.

Naomi looked over. "Why are you crying?"And she already felt stupid for asking.

It was like life had been flipped upside-down for weeks. On top of that Emily was being made to feel more and more like a stranger in her family and even though Naomi knew it would be like that no matter what girl she took home to mother, she still felt guilty for it.

"Because," Emily said trying to quickly brush away the unwanted tears with her free hand. "Because you're the only thing in my life that doesn't suck right now, and…" she wanted to say she felt selfish for being happy that her mom was too distracted by everything else to have time to actively attack them, "it sucks that no one else has anything like this now…"

Naomi was glad the night was warmer than usual; Emily had taken off her coat just before they entered the park and she was wearing one of Naomi's favorite tops. Though her girlfriend's mom and sister didn't appreciate it very much, she loved Ems' personal style and couldn't see why no one else seemed to notice it. She loved that Emily was simply beautiful. It wasn't something she worked at or stressed over; she was just sweetly lovely no matter what she had on. Anyone could look sexy if the neckline was low enough and the hemline was high enough, but, to her, only her girlfriend seemed able to make clothes beautiful instead of the other way around.

Naomi stopped walking and Emily turned to look at her. "Why are you crying?"

"Because you're so fucking beautiful," Naomi said, pulling her girlfriend closer, into a kiss. "You're the only thing in my life that feels real."

Even though her girlfriend was always loving, Emily was taken aback when she flat out declared it like that. Naomi usually held back on the overly emotional talk. It was like a secret that she was keeping, and every time Naomi did complement her this way, she felt like she had won some kind of award; her secret prize that only they knew about. Emily was holding back tears, and even she didn't know if they were happy or sad tears. She nuzzled her face into Naomi's neck and pulled her into a tighter hug. It felt wonderful to just have a moment like this; the night was warm and the park was deserted. Emily was very tempted to drag her beautiful girlfriend into the bushes for even more privacy. As though reading her thoughts, Naomi began to slowly back her up against the nearest tree, kissing her neck.

They were interrupted by a sudden rustling close to them just off the path, and they jumped back looking around. "Who's there?" Naomi shouted. There was no response; they both assumed it was Emily's brother since he was constantly sneaking around and spying on them. "I'm not fucking kidding, come out or piss off." A blur of skin jetted across the path, the young man paused only long enough to look back quickly before darting off into the bushes. "That…" Naomi sputtered, "that was Cook."

"No it wasn't—it couldn't be…" Emily said, gripping Naomi's hand tightly. "You couldn't even see him that well… Naomi, stop!"

But Naomi had already let go, jogging into the brush calling Cook's name, and so Emily struggled to keep up behind her. She crashed into Naomi, nearly taking them both down, when she came to an abrupt stop. "We've lost him, I can't tell which way he's gone." She panted, her blue eyes peering into the darkness. "Fuck! Cook! Come back here you idiot; get back here!"

Emily put her hands on either side of Naomi's face and stared into her eyes. "Naomi, he's gone, Cook is gone." She hated the pain in those blue eyes that were filling with tears. "That's probably just some kid on a bad trip; you know that." She pulled Naomi down to her for a kiss and then stepped back. "It sucks but he is gone…" She knew how close Naomi had gotten to Cook; even she had begun to see the better side of him. The fact that the police had never recovered his body had left them all in a kind of limbo of grief. Even putting up a headstone hadn't seemed real.

They heard rustling to their left, but it sounded different, heavier. The biggest dog either of them had ever seen crashed through the foliage, heading straight for Naomi. Without thinking, Emily pushed her down. Naomi hit the ground hard, her head grazing a large flat stone; she felt something land heavily on her back and heard Emily scream. Everything seemed to blur out of focus as she was lost consciousness.

A few minutes later, Naomi came to and groggily turned around, "Ems, what the fuck…" She blinked looking around to find Emily. "Oh my god! Emily!"  
>Emily was motionless about a yard or so away and it looked like her body had been dragged there, considerably closer to a beaten path than they had been when the dog had jumped them. Naomi scrambled over to her; the redhead was covered in scratches, but nothing major that she could see yet. "Emily get up, please Ems," she said as she rolled her girlfriend onto her back, revealing a large jagged wound on her left arm. "Oh god!" Naomi rummaged for her phone and dialed 999. "Please be ok Ems…"<p>

***I don't own Skins or Skins Characters* Please help me out by leaving comments on chapters you think need work, or ones you think are better than the others.  
><strong>


	3. An Effygy

Chapter Three: An Effygy

The room was packed and the music was blaring, but despite all that, Panda spotted Effy right away and did a double take. She had seen Freddie again on the way into the club that night, and many times that week actually, and she had managed to avoid him. Now she was thinking she saw Effy when she knew she was still away, but the way things were going, maybe she would be seeing her for real soon. She was about to turn to leave—another place ruined by her crazy hallucinations—until she heard a boy call Effy's name from across the room. She turned around and ran up to her friend. "Effy! You're here, for real?"

The girl turned around, her eyes lighting up for a second before icing back over. "Yeah Panda?"

"This is great! I mean really great! You're back." She paused for a moment tilting her head to the side. "How long have you been back? You didn't call me… Whatever, it's so great Effy, really great. Really."

"I got back today, about five hours ago," Effy said causally. "I'm on trial; you know, to see if I can find a _normal_ routine on my own, or whatever."

Truth be told she didn't want this opportunity to prove herself sane; she wanted to be away from all the memories, but it turns out she wasn't allowed to stay away and she wasn't allowed to run away. As it was, she had to guilt her mom into letting her leave the house to go to the club. Sneaking out was no longer an option, since her mom practically smothered her now. A guy slid up behind her and whispered in her ear; she turned to give him a teasing kiss before turning back to her friend.

"I'll give you a call later Panda. I've got plans…" she said with a look Panda knew all too well.

"Yeah," she said. "That'll be great Eff." She sighed as Effy disappeared into the crowd.

She waited a few minutes, looking for anyone else she knew, until Thomas called to say he had gotten off work. She made one more scan of the club; it was so crowded and loud now that there was no chance of catching another glimpse of her friend. Panda struggled through the crowd and headed home. As she rounded the corner outside, the air became suddenly colder as she came face to face with Freddie and tried to turn around.

"Stop," he said, gripping her arm, sending an instant chill up her spine. "You have to go back in there! She won't listen to me; she ignores me like I'm not there. That guy is going to hurt her." But he couldn't seem to keep a grip on her arm for long. "…I don't even really remember what I did wrong…"

"She's not ignoring you; you just aren't real," Panda sputtered. "And I'm bloody glad she can't see you; that means that she's better right? Even if that means I'm loony, at least that means she's better?"

That was the truth, Effy was like a sister to her, but it was more than that. Effy was everything Panda wished she could be; sometimes she even envied the mistakes the beautiful girl made. There was literally nothing she wouldn't do for her. If that meant being glad that she was the crazy one, then so be it.

"Do you just live wasted now?" Freddie asked in frustration. "I'm real ok? I am right here. I just grabbed your arm; you know I'm real."

"No you didn't" Panda said, scooting around him while trying to avoid other people bumping into her on their way to the club. "Sorry, excuse me," she apologized.

Freddie didn't have any trouble keeping up with her. "Fine, have it your way. So you won't help Effy, fine. Just tell me where JJ is; I can't find him anywhere," he said in exasperation.

She spun around quickly, nearly knocking over a tipsy girl who looked back at her with a death stare that clearly said she thought Panda was nuts.

"No one knows where he is. We think he went to university but no one has heard from him. We've all been so worried because… Well because of you and Cook," catching herself for a moment, "and the fact that you're dead and not real."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Effy and her <em>new<em> _friend_ had settled themselves into a secluded corner of the club. "Who was that?" he asked in a husky voice that she was convinced he was putting on.

"Just… some girl from school. You know how it is…" she lied.

She had been excited to see Panda; she just didn't want to care. Where had that ever gotten her? She felt cursed; she truly felt at this point that she was cursed to bring suffering on anyone who cared about her.

"Not really," he said nonchalantly, placing his arm around her shoulder and stroking her throat lightly with his thumb.

"Oh, sorry, that's right. Vampires don't really go to school do they, what with it being during the day? And lame," she teased.

He wasn't her type; this vampire bit was pretty old-hat, but he was fit enough and he promised her a high. She had decided from here on in it would be guys like this; strangers that actively annoyed her a bit. Because she knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she could not fall for this guy. It was absolutely impossible; she was finding the vampire angle trying enough already. She gave him a coy smile.

"You joke, but I think you know more than you let on; it's a front," he said smoothly. She gave him a mock surprise face. "I do think," he said leaning in to whisper in her ear, "yours is a beauty that could stand the test of time."

Effy faked a swoon and shrugged free of his arm. "So, what else are we going to do?" she said impatiently.

He sighed, pulling a small vial out of his pocket. "Somewhere more private then?" He took her hand and lead her outside and down the street.

Effy turned them down a deserted alley. "Privacy is overrated," she insisted.

He opened the vial. "Say aaahhh," he said placing a few drops onto her tongue. "Now this will work a bit slower than you are probably used to, and last a lot longer than you're expecting," he added. Then he began to kiss her neck as she waited for the buzz to kick in.

A half hour later, the man stepped out of the alleyway alone and scanned the street. He spotted a girl walking alone back in the direction of the club and quickly caught up with her. "Excuse me, I was told there is an actually decent club on this street somewhere; do you know where?"

The girl looked up and batted her deep brown eyes. "I'm headed to it right now," she answered coyly.

"Then I would like to escort you if I may; this street doesn't seem exactly safe for ladies as pretty as you," he said smoothly.

"Sure, could be fun."

**I know my chapters are really short, and I'm trying to work on more detail, hopefully I get better at this as I go. If you have suggestions, or just like my story please review.  
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	4. You're Quite Fitching Really

Chapter Four: You're Quite Fitching Really

"This is all my fault," Naomi sobbed as she sat next to Emily in the emergency room.

"Stop that," Emily said, "it's not that bad, really, look its all fine now." She held up her bandaged arm, thirteen stitches covered by a bandage wrapped from wrist to elbow, "I swear it's nowhere near as bad as this makes it look." She reached up and brushed some blonde hair away from the knot that had risen on Naomi's head. "Seriously, you should be mad at me for pushing you face first into a rock."

Naomi brushed her hair back over the bump. "It's still all my fault." She said, dabbing at her red rimmed eyes.

"Oh shut it," Emily said leaning in for a kiss, "no one else would ever think of it that way."

"You! This is all your fault!" The curtain flew back, revealing a very angry Jenna.

"Mom, please, just don't," murmured Katie, close behind her.

"Katie not now," Jenna snapped, "What were you doing out in the woods, after dark, or do I even want to know?" Emily bristled, and Naomi tried to put on her you-don't-fucking-know-me face, but for the first time couldn't keep it completely convincing.

She did feel guilty, she'd led Emily on a wild goose chase after her dead friend, it wasn't rational or responsible and now her girlfriend was suffering for her poor judgment again.

"We were in the park mom, not the fucking woods," Emily said rolling her eyes. Leave it to her mother to pounce on the first opportunity to lash out at them; she knew this had been coming. She was so glad that she didn't actually live with her anymore; she would never go home if it wasn't for her father.

"What were you thinking? After all that has happened, after everything I have put up with…" she was too angry for words, "Where is that doctor, it's the only way I'll know anything that goes on with all of you…" she muttered and stormed off.

Katie slowly sat down, "Don't take it personally, I think she would just rather be angry than scared," she said groggily.

"Don't take it personally?" Emily shouted, "She can't just come in here and yell at Naomi because I got bit by a fucking dog!"

"Oh god, don't shout," Katie snapped, she looked like she was suffering a deadly hangover. "Look, can't you just do what you always do and chock it up to mom being an ignorant hag, or whatever it is you call her when she doesn't act perfectly?" Katie always found herself caught between her mother and sister.

"Well it's easy for you to say, she loves you." Emily huffed. Naomi gave her a pleading look, "Fine, but it's not your fault, and I am not going home with mom." The two nodded and fell silent.

"So what's with you?" Naomi asked Katie, to break the silence. "Loose a fight with a bottle?"

"As if, all I wanted to do was blow off a bit of steam," Katie said, "I can have a bit of fun." Making a face that clearly showed she had met a guy as she adjusted her scarf. "But now I have to wait for him to call me back," She peaked through the slit in the curtains, "You should find out which of these nurses called mom."

"No, I just need to change my emergency contact." Emily said, "So why do you look hung over if you didn't even have time to have fun?" she giggled.

"Not so loud." Her sister pleaded, "He gave me a bit of, well, something…but then I got a loud and angry call. He was pretty sweet about it actually." She added, checking her phone for the third time since they had been talking, "So just keep it down because whatever it was my head is killing me."

OK Naomi mouthed.

"Fuck off," Katie groaned, but still couldn't help but laugh, which she regretted. She hadn't had as much time to do the things she wanted, and tonight she had planned to hit the club and finally get back to her old self.

"Katie, Emily, we're going home." Jenna snapped.

"No I'm not." The injured girl protested.

"Please dear…" her mother said softly, but seeing the defiant look in her daughter's eyes, "Oh yes you are."

Naomi paused, glancing between the two of them, and then to Katie, "No… she's not," they both said. Jenna turned and walked away, unsure of what to do.

"I'll be paying for it tonight, but you will be paying for it tomorrow." Katie said wearily, before slipping off after their mother.

"You know, for being hung-over, she's actually quite graceful…" Naomi observed. Leaning down to help Emily out of bed and give her a warm kiss, "But you're obviously more beautiful."

"And brave," she said lifting up her injured arm.

"My hero…" Naomi said, only half joking.


	5. Freddie vs Panda

**I know the past few chapters have been short, so I will probably put the next chapter up as well. Let me know if I am doing ok with this.**

Chapter Five: Freddie vs. Panda

Freddie had followed Panda all the way home; trying to convince her he was, in fact, real and alive.

"You're saying you can't feel me grabbing your arm?" he said as they came to a stop in front of Thomas's apartment.

The lights flickered in the deserted hallway.

"No and stop it," she said, "I keep getting goosebumps."

She focused on the fact that she had only heard one set of footsteps the whole way there. On the fact that everyone they had passed on the short walk back to the flat had ignored her. That was really how she knew Freddie wasn't real; Panda felt she only really mattered when she was with her friends; they were the noticeable ones without them she felt invisible. If Freddie had really been walking with her who knows how many people would have stopped and talked to them.

"Ok well how about me flicking your nose," he said. "See you flinched!"

"I didn't feel it, but you're fingers did come straight for my face. Of course I flinched. Stupid." Panda snapped.

The door swung open, "Panda, who are you talking to?" Thomas asked, scanning to hallway hoping to see one of their friends.

He was so busy with work that he rarely had a chance to see anyone; with Cook and Freddie gone, and JJ away at university and apparently not speaking to any of the old group he felt responsible for at least keeping an eye on everyone. As usual he took on the responsibility of everyone around him.

Pandora froze, "Thomas, I was just talking to… Effy, on the phone." She lied with a quick glance to Freddie and then back.

She couldn't bring herself to say anything about what had been going on; Thomas was all she had left and she knew that he would do what he thought was best for her. Which would, of course, to be send her were she could get help but Panda wasn't as strong as him. She needed to be with him. So she did everything she could to keep him from knowing that she was sure she was losing her mind.

Thomas eyed her suspiciously since she wasn't holding her cell, "Effy can't call from the hospital…"

"Oh, Eff is out of there now, really, I saw her at the club." Panda said excitedly.

"And you let some looser take her off who knows were." Freddie angrily in her ear and she flinched. "Thomas, tell her I'm here." He said patting Thomas on the shoulder.

He shivered, "Come inside Panda, it's always so cold out here." He stepped back into the flat and Panda followed him.

Thomas was already in the bedroom looking for a blanket; Panda turned in the doorway, "See, you're not real," she said slowly closing the door, "sorry, wicked sorry Freddie." She closed the door in his face.

Thomas came back into the living room with a blanket around his shoulders. He wrapped the blanket around them both, giving her a light kiss. "How was your day?"

"It was fine," she lied.

Thomas hugged her tighter, "You don't seem yourself Panda," he sighed. She looked up at him with a deer-in-headlights look. "You're nervous, and I keep hearing you talk to yourself… or argue with yourself in the hall." He looked deeply into her eyes, "Is my girl ok?"

"Yeah, I'm great. Honest." She insisted, "Did I tell you I saw Effy and the club, she's going to call me tomorrow, we're going to go out and she'll help me look decent for an interview so maybe I won't look useless when I try to find a job…" she pushed up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss.

He knew she was changing the subject, but he knew it was pointless to push it, "That sounds like a very good day."

She would tell him when she was ready, and despite everything that had happened to them in the past, he trusted her because he knew deep down she was good. If anyone had asked him Thomas wouldn't be able to explain what is was about Panda that he loved most. She just felt right to him.

"It will be," she squeaked, giving him another kiss, "I need to get a shower. Want to come?"

"I'll make us something to eat." Thomas said shaking his head. He headed into the kitchen.

Ten minutes later Pandora heard something fall off the counter. "Coming in after all Thomas?" she said peeking out from behind the curtain and screamed.

There was a bang as the door swung open, going through Freddie like he was just air. "Panda, you ok?" Thomas asked with a concerned look on his face.

"I. I'm fine!" Panda squeaked, "Someone must have flushed next door, the water just went freezing all the sudden…" Thomas nodded and closed the door.

"I think I'm a ghost." Freddie said. "And you're the only one who can see me."


	6. JJabberwocky

Chapter Six: JJabberwocky

Naomi was woken up by the sound of Emily leaving yet another message on JJ's voicemail. The phone clattered under the bed when the redhead tossed it in frustration.

"No luck yet?" she asked.

JJ was away and Naomi was furious with him. Beyond the fact that they still got calls from a very distressed Lara from time to time; she hated seeing Emily mourn the loss of his friendship. It was fine that he went on to university but they had lost so many of their friends. Why couldn't he just answer his phone every now and then?

"I'm going to his house." Emily said, tugging on a shirt.

"But he's away at university." Naomi said.

"Then his mom can give me the number to his dorm room." The redhead said.

"Yeah, because she loves us all so much…" Naomi said rolling her eyes, "You think she would like you more than she does. Guess she wanted him to stay a boy and you went and made him a man…" she added jokingly.

"Does that still bother you? Because it was a one time thing and you know it." Emily asked.

Naomi smiled and pulled herself out of bed, wrapping her arms around Emily from behind so that her chin rested on her girlfriends shoulder in front of the mirror.

"You know it doesn't, you're all mine now, and I'm all yours." Naomi said as she gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and let her go.

"Hey," Emily whined, pulling Naomi back in for a passionate kiss.

After a few moments Naomi reluctantly untangled herself from Emily, "Ok, let's go find JJ whether he wants us to or not."

* * *

><p>Freddie had spent the whole previous night proving he wasn't a figment of Panda's imagination; which Pandora was not sure she was relieved about. At least now she was on her way to Effy's. She hadn't called Panda back so she figured she would go wake her up. She paused for a moment on the other side of the street; only a few nights ago this was where everything had changed again. She was just glad that Freddie was nowhere to be seen right now-just a bright and sunny street, maybe things could get back to normal. The door was unlocked so she let herself in and made her way to her friend's room.<p>

"Wake up Eff, you've slept half the day away already." She said plopping down on bed.

"Go away," a strained voice came from under the blanket.

"Gee Eff, it's dark in here," she said in a bubbly voice as she hopped up to pull back one of the curtains. "Really Eff, I need you to help me find clothes and stuff so I can find a job and stuff."

"I mean it," the lump in the bed growled, "please just get out of here Panda."

Panda turned towards the bed, "But Effy, you've been gone for ages. Come on, I missed you, and I need you to help me. I'll get you some aspirin," she said, tugging at the covers.

Effy pulled back, "Trust me, that's really not going to help. So just stop it ok?"

"Sure it will Eff," Panda insisted, pulling the blanket free, exposing a blood covered Effy, gripping the mattress like her life depended on it. "Oh my god Eff, what happened to you?" she gasped, walking towards the bed, "Who did this?"

"Get back." Effy growled, but Panda kept coming.

She let out an inhuman scream and lunged for Panda, who instinctively took several quick steps back. Effy fell into the sunlight and screamed, struggling back into the shadows while Panda took the closest shelter she could find, the closet.

"I told you that guy would hurt her." Freddie said in her ear.

* * *

><p>"Stop that, it'll never heal if you keep it up," Naomi said, pulling Emily's hand away from the bandage.<p>

"Well it itches like a fucker, and it doesn't even hurt anymore, it just itches." The redhead said, pulling her hand loose and picking at the bandage again.

Naomi pulled her girlfriends hand away again, "Maybe I can kiss it and make it better." She joked, "but seriously, you can't keep picking at it you'll mess up the stitches."

"Fine," Emily promised. "I've got an ache somewhere else too, you can kiss it and make it better…" she said, with a sexy smile.

Naomi rolled her eyes and giggled.

They were almost to JJ's house and they still weren't sure how they were going to get his mom to give them his number. Just as they rounded the corner they saw him heading straight for his house. They both sped up, coming up just feet away from him as he turned onto his walkway.

"JJ, you're home!" Emily said excitedly.

He stopped dead in his tracks and half turned to look at them. He looked like hell, like he hadn't slept in weeks. "No… no, no," he stammered, "I can't…no." he cleared the distance between his house and slammed the door.

"Come on JJ," Emily said pounding on the door, "We know you are here, and I just want to talk." She leaned her head against the door and kept pounding, "I miss you, I just want to talk."

"We can stay out here all day…" Naomi added stepping back to scan the windows for their prodigal friend.

The door cracked open, the chain still latched on the other side, "Go away girls," Mrs. Jones said, "He doesn't want to talk right now."

"Why not? We're his friends. He should tell us himself if he wants us to go." Emily insisted, trying to lock eyes with the woman on the other side of the door.

"Maybe he doesn't want to be with his _friends_ considering half of them are dead or in a mental hospital." His mother spat, and then sighed, "Look girls, I'm sure you mean well, but he simply doesn't want to see you. He's had a hard time with all this, and I think you know that your brands of…stress relief…isn't the best thing for him right now. Just leave him be." With that she shut and locked the door.

Naomi looked at her girlfriend and saw her brown eyes filling with tears, "She can't just decide that for him and he can't just blow you off like this." She stepped back up to the door but Emily pulled her back.

"Let's just go before her mom calls the police on us…" Emily said dejectedly.

A few hours later Emily had fallen asleep crying and Naomi had left her a note on the pillow saying she had stepped out to pick up some food; but she was outside JJ's house tossing stones at his bedroom window. She knew he was in there; she saw him pacing from time to time.

"You can't just ignore her JJ!" She shouted. "She's always been there for you, and I know we have all gone through hell lately but she needs you." She waited a few moments to give him a chance to answer, "Whatever, you're real fucking selfish you know that?" She was shaking and so was her voice, "You know she's been worried sick about you? And all this time you've been here? You know what? Fuck you! Just fuck you…" she turned and stomped off.

Up in his room, JJ leaned against the wall next to his window, holding back tears of his own. "You don't understand," he whispered, "I will… I just have to finish, I'll fix it, I'm just not finished yet…"

He grabbed his backpack and slammed his door shut as he headed downstairs.


	7. Katiecombs

**I am determined to finish this story and upload it, no quitting for me. I'm pretty sure it's no good at all but I am determined to finish it anyway. Still plenty of chapters to go.**

Chapter Seven: Katiecombs

The phone rang and Emily pressed the ignore button for the third time in the past hour. She still wasn't talking to her mother since she knew it wasn't an apology she wasn't going to answer. It had been two days since the fight in the emergency room and Emily was determined not to budge.

"Shit, it must be important," Naomi said when her phone started to buzz.

"Fucks sake," Emily huffed, taking the phone from her girlfriends' hand, "What mom? Katie? No I haven't seen Katie… I haven't seen James either, why would I have seen James?"

"Are you absolutely sure that James isn't under our bed?" Naomi joked.

Emily giggled, "Wait, bit, did you say Katie bit James? That's odd, but not that surprising really… stop screeching, why are you so mad?" Emily held the phone away from her ear. "Wait stitches? She bit him hard enough to need stitches? Why are you even calling me about this? What…do you think this in Naomi's fault somehow?" she quipped, "Did she let a rabid Katie into the house?" Again she had to jerk the phone away from her ear, "Ok, ok, I will let you know if I see her…" then she quickly hung up.

"…so…at what level of pervy does Katie actually go for blood?" Naomi asked.

* * *

><p>"That's not exactly the biggest problem right now, is it? Tosser." Panda thought, instead all she said was, "Back off, you're making me cold and Effy's going to fucking rip my throat out."<p>

"Tosser was uncalled for," Freddie said, "I think it's a little fair to say I told you so."

"I didn't say tosser." Panda said confused.

"Yes you did, under your breath." He insisted.

"Did not," she squealed.

Panda thought she heard a thumping sound in the other room, "Shhhh…" she pressed her ear against the door trying to figure out if Effy was still out there.

"Fine," Freddie said, disappearing and reappearing a few minutes later, "She's gone, I'm not sure where, but she isn't here anymore."

Panda reached for the doorknob , "Good, if I had to stay in here much longer I would have pissed myself." she thought.

"Um," Freddie said, "If you're going to pee, don't use the one downstairs…"

* * *

><p>"What are you doing?" Naomi asked.<p>

Emily was sitting in front of the computer tugging at her bandages, "I got an e-mail from JJ. Says he still cares about us, he just can't talk yet, says he is in the middle of something. Not sure what to make of it really but whatever…"

"No I mean about your bandage, I told you not to scratch it," the blonde said, giving her a stern look.

"Ugh," Emily said, "it's just this thing is driving me crazy," she said as she pulled the last of the bandage loose.

"Hey, the doctor said to leave that on," Naomi said, grabbing her girlfriend's arm to try to put the bandage back but stopped when she realized that the scar was completely healed. "What the?"

"See, even the doctor thought it was worse than it really was," Emily said giving Naomi and passionate kiss, "now find me some scissors or something to get these stitches out, they're driving me nuts."

"Are you sure you should…" she asked. Emily locked her with a stare that said she meant it, she had never seen those soft brown eyes look so demanding, "…ok…" she said turning around.

"Thanks babe," Emily said, giving her a quick pat on the butt. Naomi gave her a confused look as she headed into the other room.

"All I could find was nail clippers…" Naomi said, handing them over, "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah, totally," Emily said, quickly snipping away the stitches without flinching. "Hey, we should get out. How about the club?"

"Are you sure? We have work tomorrow." Naomi said.

Emily stood up and pulled Naomi close to her, "Of course I'm sure, I've got the hottest girl ever and I feel letting the world know it."

She gave her an aggressive kiss, and then pulled away to get dressed, leaving Naomi staring after her in confusion.

* * *

><p>Katie rushed into the bathroom of the club and splashed herself with water from the sink.<p>

"You missed a bit on your top," Effy said from behind her and Katie almost jumped out of her skin.

"Thanks," she said catching her breath, "Guess I shouldn't put ketchup on my chips if I feel like I'm going to have a sneezing fit…" she tried to lie.

"Yeah…" Effy said coming in closer, "…or maybe we should put on bibs before _kissing_ the boys…"

"Hey…you don't…" Katie said squinting at the mirror and looking back at her friend.

"Neither do you…" Effy pointed out. "We've always had the same taste in guys, even when we are avoiding dating material." She said smoothly.

Katie swung around, "Eff, what are we going to do?" she asked in a panicked voice.

Effy stepped past her; pretending to preen in the mirror, "What we've always been best at," she said coolly.

With that she took Katie's hand and pulled her back out into the club. They saw Emily and Naomi as they entered. As soon as the couple spotted them they waved, making their way quickly over.

"Effy, when did you get back?" Emily asked. Before receiving an answer she turned to Katie, "Mom's looking for you, she's really mad at you…which is a change," she paused sniffing the air, "What? Have you been hiding from mom in a dumpster or something? You smell awful!"

"Cow, I do not." Katie gasped, taking a few tentative sniffs, "It's you!"

Naomi shot another confused look at Effy, "Neither of you smell…" she assured them, "So when did you get back Effy?"

"A day or two I guess…" Effy said, putting on a mysterious face, "It's so easy to lose track of time. Oh, speaking of which, I should go call Panda and tell her she should come out of the closet…" and with that she turned and headed for the door; leaving them all with confused looks on their faces.


	8. Dr JJekyll and Mr Hyde

Chapter Eight: Dr. JJekyll and Mr. Hyde

Mrs. Jones watched out of the corner of her eye as her son made his way down the hall and into the basement -again. She heard him slide the lock on the door and the old stairs creaking. It seemed like he spent every waking moment down there ever since Freddie's funeral; and at first she had been glad that he wasn't out running around with his reckless friends. She imagined that nothing he was doing down there could be as bad as what they would eventually get him into. She had been glad that he seemed to be done dating Lara; but this couldn't be healthy. It seemed like more than normal grief. She knew he was barely sleeping and she suspected that he wasn't taking his medicine correctly anymore if he was taking it at all. Yet- she felt completely at a loss for what to do for him.

JJ's mom knocked softly at the basement door and let him know that Lara was on the phone again. "I can't. I'm busy."

She asked him if he needed anything to eat. "No, no thanks," He answered briskly. He glanced to his bag of medications when she asked if he had remembered to take it.

"Yeah, of course." He lied and listened for the sound of her walking away before sneaking up the stairs to double check the lock.

He trudged back down the steps and stopped in front of the freezer. The basement was cold and musty and the fluorescent lights flickered and buzzed, making it hard to concentrate.

"You can do this JJ," he told himself out loud. "Figure it out, do it, figure it out, the hard part is over." He said sitting on the deep freeze. "So just think and figure it out."

He stared across the room to the small desk that was piled high with books and notes. He was so close to figuring it all out. Reluctantly he got up and made his way the desk; looking down at a box of science supplies left over from science fairs and extra credit experiments. He squatted down and began to sort through it, placing anything he decided was useful onto the desk. The mouse in the cage on the long fold out table seemed to eye him suspiciously as he set to make his final checks of his research.

* * *

><p>As Pandora made her way out of Effy's house her phone began to ring, making her jump, "Hello?" she said, "Oh hey Eff! I mean, yeah Effy?"<p>

"Panda, I'm so sorry about today, I tried get you to leave in time." The girl on the other end of the phone said.

"But, what is it Eff? I mean what happened to you?" Panda asked.

"Same thing that always happens," Effy answered, "Poor judgment that might not turn out as bad as you think."

"But whose blood was that?" Her voice cracked as she asked, receiving no response at first, "Effy…whose blood…"

"My moms," Effy said in a mournful tone, she had appeared quickly behind Pandora, causing the girl to scream loudly as she flailed around.

Under the streetlight Effy looked even more pale and cold than she had that morning. At least she was in fresh, blood free, clothing now.

"Eff." Panda squeaked, trying to sound brave.

"It was a mistake; I didn't know what was happening or what I was doing until it was too late." The dark haired girl insisted, despite everything Panda could see she was sorry.

"I swear, and now I know what's happening, I can control myself now," giving Panda a confidant smile, "Under the right conditions, I mean, you can't come busting into my room during the day."

"But what did you do Eff?" Panda said, "I mean what happened."

She sighed, "Panda, I'm a vampire." She said as though it were the most obvious conclusion to come to.

"Really?" Panda blinked, dazed, but it wasn't exactly the strangest thing that had happened lately, was it? "Freddie's a ghost and you're a…"

Effy flinched at the mention of his name, "Don't be silly." She snapped. "So… can you help me…move my mom?" Panda looked at her in shock. "Oh, yeah, sorry, on second thought…" she pulled out her phone and dialed. "Katie, listen, if you help me with a little something you can stay at my house with me."

"Help with what?" Katie asked loudly trying to hear over the deafening sounds of the club.

"Worry about what when you get here," she said, "Trust me, you don't want to stay with family right now."

* * *

><p>JJ peered into the cage with anticipation; if nothing happened in the next five minutes it was back to square one. He tapped the bars impatiently. Slowly the little white mouse began to twitch and JJ held his breath. It stood up groggily and shakily wobbled towards the water bottle on the other side of the cage.<p>

"Attaboy Cookie!" JJ exclaimed- turning back to face the freezer. "We'll give it a week to see how Cookie does…"

He checked the padlock to the deep freeze, and then carried the cage back upstairs.

**If anyone is still reading, I am trying to get better at detail, if you have time please tell me what I am doing right (if anything) and what needs work.**


	9. Werewolves of Bristol

Chapter Nine: Werewolves of Bristol

"What'cha doing?" Emily said, slipping up behind Naomi and playfully nipping at her ear.

Naomi smiled and turned her head to give Emily a quick kiss. "Getting ready for work," she answered. "Which you are making me sooo not want to do right now."

The redhead pulled her back around held her tight giving her a deep kiss. "Then don't." she said. Naomi glanced down at the shopping list they had written up days ago; she wondered how much of these items she could afford to pick up on the way back home from work that night. Her mom was on an impromptu vacation with an artist friend of hers, which really meant one of her old friends had a melt down of some kind and her mother had gone to talk them back off the edge. Since both girls had work, it wasn't a big deal really, but payday was about five days away and they were already scraping until then.

"Yeah," Naomi giggled, "because any day now we will be independently wealthy," she teased turning back to the mirror.

Emily stared into her eyes in the mirror's reflection. There was that new look in her eyes again; it was there more and more often.

"What?" Naomi asked.

Emily pulled her back around. "I mean it," she whined. "We can miss one day at our jobs. Can't we just live?"

The past few days Emily had been different, not bad, just not as quiet and introspective as usual. She had been impulsive; they both called off work the day before because they'd had too much fun at the club the night before. They had spent that whole lost day lost in each other. It had been wonderful and fun and everything Naomi had needed. Today, however, she had to be at work because it was inventory day and her boss made it his personal duty to punish anyone who dared skip out on an inventory day. The usually jolly owner of the small café would turn into a rigid tyrant.

"Not much longer without food, "Naomi said, trying to play off the strangeness of this new more persistent Emily. "And we just lived yesterday. So today I have to get there on time or the commandant will fire me," she insisted, pulling herself free.

Emily plopped down on the bed. "Fine," she said coyly, making one last attempt to lure her girlfriend back to bed. She knew they had to go to work but she couldn't explain it; she had this peculiar feeling inside her that screamed _live,__live,__really__live__for__once_. Naomi had always been the most beautiful girl she had ever seen, but lately she was irresistible. Emily just felt like she had to touch her.

Naomi couldn't risk a goodbye kiss. She honestly wasn't sure she could resist Emily lately, even when she wanted to, so instead, she turned in the doorway and blew her a kiss from across the room. "Hold that thought Ems, and I'll be waiting right there for you tonight."

"I'll hold you to that," she answered, blowing the blonde a kiss in return.

Two hours later, Emily found herself gazing out the bookstore windows in a daze. "Are we keeping you from something more important than work today Miss Fitch?" her manager sneered. She hated the way he said miss like a snake with a lisp.

"Just mind-blowing sex," she said, offhandedly.

"That is not work appropriate language Miss Fitch," he corrected. "Now go help that customer over there and by help I mean find out if he's shoplifting."

She sighed and slid off the counter. "Sure thing missster manager," she whispered under her breath. "So are you looking for anything in particular?" she asked.

"As a matter of fact I am," the customer replied. "Where are all those trashy books the ladies love to read? I thought I might expand my mind a bit."

She rolled her eyes before looking the customer in the eyes. "Cook?" Her jaw practically hit the floor. "Cook!"

"Emily!" he yelled jokingly, grabbing her up in a bear hug. "Yeah it's Cookie!" He spun her around in the air, knocking a few books off the display table nearby.

"But, we thought you were dead, how…" She wiggled loose from his grip and took a step back, trying to grasp the fact that he was really there. Then suddenly, without really thinking she punched him in the shoulder. "You ass! We thought you were dead for weeks!"

"Miss Fitch!" her manager yelled. "That is not work appropriate…" he began to stomp towards them, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the looks in both their eyes.

"Oi!" Cook yelled. "She's right, I'm an asshole," he laughed, turning back to Emily. "So Ems, seeing as how I'm back from the dead, how about you blow off work?"

Her manager glared at her with is arms crossed; she thought it over for a few seconds. "Yeah," she said, taking her nametag off and tossing it behind her.

A few blocks away she broke the silence. "So where have you been all this time? What have you been doing?" Maybe it was the confusion and excitement but day seemed unusually hot. The sun seemed bright and everything seemed vibrant.

"Just around, same old dog as always Ems," Cook said.

She looked at him in disbelief. "Naomi is going to kill you when she sees you."

"Ah, Naomikins," he chuckled, then turning serious. "Hey, I had to stay away."

"Yeah, I'm sure…" she said. "Do you know any of their names?"

A girl was jogging towards them and they parted to let her pass between them, both of them checking her out as she jogged on past. Cook caught her looking and gave her at look that said you-should-be-ashamed. Emily blushed and laughed.

"I mean it," He insisted. "I wasn't going to stick around at all, and that would have been better." He looked away for a few minutes. "Same old dog I guess," he said under his breath. "But anyway, now I have to stay don't I?"

It sounded like gibberish to her, but that was just Cook. "Yep. You can crash at our place."

He stopped, and his face turned thoughtful for a minute. "…sure…yeah I can do that tonight," he finally said.

"Oh, did I make it sound like you had a choice?" She smirked. "If you think I am explaining this to Naomi alone then you're crazy. You are to explain yourself, and then beg for her forgiveness like a good little boy."

"Then I'll be Cookie on his best behavior," he said laughing. "I'll sit, stay, and beg on command," he said, doing his best imitation of a lapdog.

"You'd better," she joked. "Seeing as how you've already played dead."

* * *

><p>"You sure stayed out a long time with Effy," Thomas said as Panda opened the door, trying to slip in quietly.<p>

She jumped. "Yeah, sorry, I…" she caught her breath, "forgot to call, lost track of time."

Thomas walked over to her, wrapping her up in a tight hug. "It's OK, you haven't seen her in a long time. Why are you shaking?"

"It's cold?" she lied. She had completely forgotten to call Thomas, which was understandable considering the shock of everything that had happened that night. Effy had convinced her to stay the night so she could prove that she was capable of not killing and eating her best friend. No matter how cold Effy had seemed before, and more so now, the dark haired girl couldn't bring herself to look at her mother's body. So Panda found herself helping Katie clear out the downstairs bathroom. She didn't know what Katie had done with the body and she didn't want to know. She also ended up playing look-out for Katie while she got some clothes and other essentials from her house. Before she knew it, the night had gone by and she had ended up double checking all the curtains in the Stonem house before leaving the two vampires to sleep the day away.

"You should invite her over tomorrow, I have the day off," Thomas said. He was interested to see how Effy was doing now that she was home.

"No!" Panda squeaked, causing Thomas to eye her suspiciously. "I mean, she's got a major cold right now so she'll be staying home for a while." She knew she had to tell him - she wanted to tell him. There was already a knot in her stomach from hiding Freddie's secret from him. How had this all happened? When they had started over this time, she had promised herself they wouldn't have secrets, but she just didn't know how to tell him without him thinking she was crazy. After all, she didn't completely believe that she wasn't.

"Ah," he nodded. "That's best then. Her mom will know best to take care of her." Pandora stifled a sob. "You really are cold," he said in a concerned voice. "Maybe you caught her cold."

"No, no," she insisted. "Just cold…"

"I'll go get the blanket," he said with a smile. "All the sudden you are colder than me." He jogged into the other room. She just wanted to spend the time she had with him like things were normal. She wanted to curl up with him and pretend the world wasn't strange and crazy; she wanted to kiss him and touch him while she had the chance before he had to leave for work. Panda just wanted to forget it all for a few minutes and hide in the only steady thing she had left.

"Yeah…" she mumbled. Glancing over to the corner and rolling her eyes. "Not now, please just not now," She thought.

"Fine, I'll give you two some privacy then," Freddie said with a shrug.

**A huge thanks to my personal beta-reader InvisiMeg. Without whom this would be unreadable (she finds my grammar failures). **


	10. Night of the Living BreadPointer

Chapter Ten: Night of the Living Bread-Pointer

A week had passed and the mouse was still alive and kicking. JJ sat in the basement calming himself and preparing.

"I think this has gone really well actually. No adverse side effects that I can see. In fact, Cookie bites even less now than he did…before." He paused for a moment. "I'm not sure if that's relevant."

The dryer buzzed. "Well, have to get started," he said, pulling the fresh warm blankets out of the dryer and draping them over the body on the table. "First to get you warmed up Freddie."

* * *

><p>"Call her," Freddie shouted at the only person he knew could hear him.<p>

Panda didn't speak to him anymore; she knew he could read her thoughts. "No. And by the way, why can you hear what I'm thinking?"

"I said call her," Freddie insisted. "And how should I know? Cause I'm a ghost? Don't change the subject. I'm telling…I'm asking you to call Effy."

"Well I'm saying…I mean thinking, No." Thomas laughed at the strange faces Panda was making in the mirror.

She just didn't get how frustrating it was; he just wanted to be able to do more. He just wanted to grab her and shake her, but that got him nowhere. "But still," he thought, "it'll make her cold…"

He reached out to grab her and at least pretend to shake her. He was concentrating as hard as he could on actually pushing her at least a little.  
>Suddenly Panda dropped to the floor and began to shiver uncontrollably.<p>

"Panda!" Thomas rushed over and skidded down next to her. "Are you ok? Panda, look at me." He held her close while looking around the room for his phone.

"Thomas?" Panda said standing just behind him, but he couldn't hear her.

"Panda, panda," Thomas said, cradling her body trying decide what was best to do.

Her eyes slowly opened and Freddie looked up to see Thomas's face hovering just above him, and Panda looking panicked behind him.

"What?" he said groggily, but he heard Panda's voice say it. "Whoa, how did I get in here?" he said without thinking.

"Ah, you are ok, what do you need? What should I do Panda?" her boyfriend asked.

"Ok," Freddie thought. "Don't want to freak him out; I should say something Panda would say…" Thomas waited to hear her speak. "Gee Thomas, I'm…brill, I just fell down because…uh…I'm useless?"

"Oh right, he won't buy that, you know what I will actually call you a tosser now. Get out of…me," Panda screamed at him.

"Oh," Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. "That was a mean joke to play on me Panda."

"What?" Panda screeched.

"Ok, now how did I even get in here?" Freddie thought.

Thomas was leaning in closer coming in for a kiss. "My sweet funny girl," he said.

"How do I get out?" Freddie froze. "How do I get out?" He tried to think quickly but it was too late.

* * *

><p>The body on the table began to slowly twitch and JJ snapped to attention. "Freddie?" he whispered, slowly stepping towards the table to pull back some of the blankets.<p>

Freddie's eyes were open, but they didn't seem to be fully focusing yet. "Follow my finger with your eyes."

Instead of moving his eyes, Freddie turned his whole head to follow the path of JJ's hand back and forth. "That's good enough, good enough Freddie. Now how many fingers?" he said holding up three fingers. Freddie opened and shut his mouth, but no words came out; just some gurgling and grunting.

JJ stepped back and paced. "Dammit, dammit, dammit." Then rushing back over to the table to check over the body's responses more thoroughly. "All the automatic responses are there…it doesn't make any sense…ugh."

He rushed back over to check his notes. "Stupid, stupid…I'm stupid… possible brain atrophy…" he pushed all his notes off the desk, knocking the cage into the floor in the process.

"Oh Cookie, sorry," he said, picking the cage up and gently setting it back upright and checking on the mouse.

A loud thud caused him to swing around; Freddie's body was on the floor crawling towards him.

"I've fucked up. I fucked up and made a zombie," JJ breathed.

Freddie was reaching towards him and JJ groped behind him to find something he could use as a weapon. The best he could find was a screwdriver. He turned around prepared to try to defend himself; Freddie was reaching towards him…holding up three fingers.


	11. Nightmare on Ems' Street

Chapter Eleven: Nightmare on Ems' Street

On her way home, the sun was just beginning to set and their street seemed to be tinted pinkish-orange. Naomi could hear the music blaring from outside. The house was completely dark except for the living room window. Naomi put the key in the lock and the door fell open. "OK then," She said closing the door behind her and locking it.

She expected to see that Panda and Thomas, or maybe Katie and the guy she had mentioned from the club the other night. Naomi didn't like the idea of the house turning back into the party zone for everyone they knew. She took a deep breath and prepared to be nice, but stern—and perhaps a bit sarcastic. Standing in the doorway she saw Emily and Cook dancing wildly in the middle of the room. She turned quickly back against the wall, gasping to catch her breath before swinging back around into the living room.

"What the fuck?" she yelled. They both stopped dancing, but continued to sway a little to the music.

"Naomikins!" they both shouted in excited unison.

Cook burst back into dance, but Emily seemed to snap to attention at the shocked look on her girlfriend's face.

She smacked Cook on the arm. "What?" Cook asked before remembering that Naomi did not, in fact, already know he was alive and well.

"Cook?" Naomi said in a shocked voice. "You're here and…Cook?" she repeated looking at Emily. "Explain?"

"Naoms," Emily said apologetically, walking up to her to and taking her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't know how to warn you. I mean…I didn't want to just text you on the phone about it, did I? So we were waiting for you and I guess we just…got distracted…sorry," she finished weakly.

Naomi couldn't wrap her head around this; she was so happy and angry at the same time. She wished she could just be happy, but she couldn't forget the last few weeks she had spent waiting to know what had happened.

"So you just started partying and I am supposed to just, join in and dance? No questions asked," she stated numbly.

"Come on Naomikins! It's a lovely Wednesday night, yes? I promise you I am completely ready for you to beat the piss out of me. 'Cause I deserve it right? More than you even know yet, yeah? Can't we just have a bit of happy before all that happens?" Cook finished with his usually disarming smile.

Emily studied Naomi's face; her mouth open wide in shock, the corners of her mouth twitching while she tried not to give in to a smile.

Naomi cleared her throat, "First of all; it's Friday night," she began. "And second, it's not like you borrowed Ems' scooter and forgot to fill the tank back up, yeah?" she added sarcastically. "You could have found some way to let us know you were alive! Fucks sake!"

Cook flinched, and Emily squeezed in closer to Naomi and nuzzled her face into the now shaking girl's shoulder. Naomi put an arm around the redhead to steady herself.

"And lastly," she paused and caught her breath. "It's really fucking great to see you Cook." She finished lifting her other arm to invite him into the group hug.

Emily began to shake and Naomi patted her back softly, giving Cook another confused look. She had expected him to rush in, but he stood on the other side of the room with a look of panic on his face.

"No…" he said. "I'm pretty sure it's Wednesday." His face turned thoughtful.

"Nope Cookie," she insisted, "it's Friday. What does it matter?"

He sprinted to the window and pulled back the curtain. "No. Fuck. No, no, no." he mumbled to himself. He turned around and ran towards them.

* * *

><p>Thomas and Panda entered the club, it wasn't as crowed as usual tonight, but luckily most of the people they knew were there.<p>

"Should Effy be out tonight?" Thomas asked.

Panda's mouth hung open for a second while she thought of something to say. "Well…you know Eff, she bounces back quick."

Katie and Effy walked up to meet them; Effy giving Panda a quizzical look meant to mean _"Did you tell him?" _Panda shook her head quickly to let them know she hadn't.

"So Thomo, going to welcome me back?" Effy said, trying to shake off the chill that seemed to surround her.

"Yes," Thomas said, giving her a friendly hug. "Good to see you back. We are very happy." He smiled at Katie. "Hello."

"Hi," Katie said, keeping her distance.

Thomas looked around the sparsely populated club. "I'd never noticed just how much room there was in here."

The others looked around as well, hoping to see Naomi and Emily. Instead Panda spotted Freddie's sister, Karen, at the bar talking to a tall man. Katie stared wide eye and Effy's eyes narrowed.

"One moment," Effy said, making her way over to them, stepping up behind Karen so that her eyes met the other vampire's eyes.

"Can I help you?" he said coolly.

"Yes," she said equally as coolly.

The girl turned around prepared to give the interloper a cold stare that would clearly say "_Back off_." Instead she found herself face to face with the very girl she had learned that look from.

"Oh…hey Eff," she said instead. She wasn't sure how to feel about seeing her again.

"Hey Karen. Nice to see you," the vampire girl replied without breaking eye contact with the vampire man.

"Yeah…nice…" Karen was getting irritated by all this. "Well we were just getting to know each other. Like on a date. You know? Isn't that right babe?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact we…" he began to say.

"No," Effy interrupted. "You really weren't."

Katie had made her way over to her friend's side; she had heard everything from the other side of the bar. "Karen, I need to ask you something," she said in an attempt to distract the younger girl.

"What?" Freddie's sister huffed.

"Well it's kind of personal," Katie lied.

With one look at the guy's face, Karen could tell she had lost his interest. She begrudgingly gave in and followed Katie to the bathroom as she did her best to come up with a convincing question to ask for advice on.

With the other two gone, Effy stepped closer to the vampire that had turned her. "She's off limits," she demanded.

"That's not how this works," he replied. Seeing the burning anger in her eyes he added, "Though I suppose I can allow you to have at least some say in the third."

He glanced in the direction of the bathroom. "Just this once. So you might want to take this moment to point out anyone else here that is _off limits,_" he added sounding smug.

"Fine." She wasn't sure if she could actually win this battle so she would take what she could get until she did know for sure. "Those two as well," she said, gesturing towards Panda and Thomas.

"As you wish, my lady," he said, taking her hand and giving it a light kiss. Then he turned and left the building.

* * *

><p>Cook lunged at the two girls, grabbing Emily and knocking Naomi off her feet as he pulled her outside.<p>

"Cook, what the fuck?" Emily snapped at him.

"Trust me," Cook yelled. "Just fucking trust me."

He suddenly began twitching and fell to his knees, pulling the redhead down with him. He flipped over, taking her face in his hands. He shook her lightly to get her to look him in the eyes.

"I'm so, so sorry Ems," he said. "This is really going to suck."

Naomi stood at the back door yelling for Cook and Emily; she stared into the darkness and listened for any sign of the two. The clouds parted and the moon began to partially light the back yard. She heard growling down the street and the sound of trashcans being knocked over and took off in that direction. The moon was covered in clouds again and she was dependent on the dim streetlights to see; there was trash littering the sidewalk and splatters of blood. She followed the trail to the park and stopped when she saw a large hole torn through one of the hedges. She looked closer and pulled something out of the bushes before crumbling to the ground in tears. She gripped the tattered strip of Emily's t-shirt tightly and screamed.

* * *

><p>Panda and Thomas had joined Effy at the bar and waited for Katie to join them again. The dark haired girl refused to say anything about the situation other than that she knew he was trouble and she was just looking out for Karen. Katie returned to the bar alone and Thomas looked around for Freddie's sister. Katie nodded towards the exit door and he excused himself to go check that the guy wasn't waiting outside for her.<p>

"I'll be right back," he said, giving Panda a kiss on the cheek.

Before she could even ask Effy anything, Freddie was whispering in her ear. "Please, I know I don't deserve it, but please tell her I'm here."

"I can't do that," Panda thought, "and you're right, you don't deserve for me to do anything for you."

"Third?" Katie asked. "What does he mean by that?"

Effy shrugged. "Maybe he was just saving face…" she said hopefully.

Panda couldn't focus on their conversation because Freddie was now standing behind Effy and looking at her with lovesick eyes.

"Panda she just saved my sisters life. I have to thank her; I have to tell her I love her. I need her to forgive me for not being better or doing more for her," he pleaded.

"What good would it do? She'll still miss you. I'm the only one who can see you," she said telepathically.

She was angry at him, but seeing him look at Effy that way was melting her heart. "I'm really sorry, but I don't even know how…"

Katie was waving her hand in front of Panda's zoned out face. "Hello…Panda…are you with us?"

"Yeah!" she said trying focusing and remembering the last thing the vampire girls had said.

"I was saying I have to go," Katie continued. "If you see Ems or Naomi don't tell them. K?"

Panda nodded as Katie flipped her hair and headed out the front exit. Freddie came back around to her side.

"This is the only chance," he insisted. "Please just tell her."

"No," she replied.

Before she knew what was happening, Panda found herself outside her body again; she stood horrified as her body leaned in close to Effy.

"I love you," Freddie said with Panda's voice.

Before she could react Effy found herself embraced in Panda's arms and receiving a passionate kiss. She staggered back out of the possessed body's grip, confusion painted across her face. She wiped Panda's lipstick off her face with the sleeve of her shirt and darted out of the club, knocking several people over in the process.

"Get out of me right now!" Panda seethed.

Suddenly, she found herself back in her body again; she turned to look for Freddie. Instead she saw Thomas staring at her from the back exit and it was obvious he had seen everything.

"Thomas!" She pleaded. "No you don't understand, I have to explain!"

It was too late; once her eyes met his, he turned and stormed out. Once outside, he broke into a run. Freddie stood in the dimly lit street watching Panda's boyfriend disappear into the distance.

"If there is any way at all, Panda will kill me," he said to himself and at that moment he knew he deserved it.


	12. Pandora, Mistress of the Damned

Chapter Twelve: Pandora, Mistress of the Damned

JJ loaded his backpack with food from the pantry while his parents were out. He slung it over his shoulder and unlocked the basement door. He couldn't help but realize that in all his planning and all his hard work, he had overlooked one key factor. What to do if it worked. Freddie's body had been alive in the basement for days and keeping it hidden was getting harder and harder. Once the door was unlocked, he opened it slowly, checking that the reanimated corpse wasn't standing on the top step. That had happened the first time JJ had left him down there alone, but he seemed to be a quick learner and stood still at the bottom of the steps this time. JJ flipped the light switch and was pleased to see the scars were barely noticeable from the mere few feet of distance.

"Hello Freddie," JJ said cheerfully and the corpse waved hello. "I brought some food and drink. Hope mango juice is ok."

Freddie still couldn't talk; he seemed to work best at basic functions and muscle memory. JJ had been glad to discover that Freddie did eat food; even if it was TV brainwashing, he had worried about the possibility that he would have to procure fresh brains to feed his friend.

He made his way down the steps and Freddie reached out and ruffled his hair. JJ smiled. "And how's Cookie doing?" he asked.

He checked the cage on the desk, next to a pile of blankets that had become Freddie's bed. The corpse tilted his head to the side with an expressionless face. As soon as JJ sat the backpack on the table, Freddie unzipped it and began rummaging through the contents. JJ set to tidying up the room.

"I'll see if I can get the keys to the car tonight," he chattered. "We'll be able to see how you handle being outside. If we make enough progress I'll find a way to get everyone to understand." He paused for a second. "If I really explain it just right, it shouldn't be a problem. Right?"

Freddie had pulled out a box from the storage half of the basement at some point so JJ lifted it to put it back. The box slipped, sending pots and pans clattering all over the floor. He set to collecting them all back into the box as quickly and quietly as he could. When he was done, he turned around to realize the room was empty and his backpack was gone.

* * *

><p>Panda had sat up all night in Thomas's flat waiting for him to come home, but he never did. She had cried herself to sleep and now she was wandering the streets looking for Freddie.<p>

"You've fucked everything up and you have to help me make it right," she thought as loudly as she could.

She had decided early this morning that it was pointless to find Thomas until she found Freddie; that way she could try to prove that Freddie was there. It was the only way she could make him see that she wasn't in control of her body last night. For once, Freddie wasn't following her every move—though she couldn't image how he could possibly be scared of her.

"You owe me Freddie! This is your fault and you have to help me fix it," she thought.

She stopped at a bench to catch her breath; then she began to cry. She sat down and gave in to the tears. "Please Freddie," she thought over and over again. "Please just help me this once."

"Excuse me," a girl said in a soft voice. "Can I help you? Do you need help?"

Panda looked up to see a girl with dark hair that was styled in an edgy haircut, looking at her with concern. The girl was shorter than panda, and a little chubby, but still quite cute.

"No, I'm fine," she said as she dabbed at her eyes. "I'm just…looking for someone…"

"Aren't we all?" The girl said with a smile, trying to cheer her up. "Maybe I can help you find them?"

Panda shook her head and shrugged. The edgy girl sat next to her on the bench and looked across the street into the store window.

"Well then can you just keep me company while my friend shops in there? She takes forever and it's so frustrating to watch her buy the wrong clothes," she asked.

"You wouldn't want to shop with me then. I always get the wrong clothes," Panda said. She noted that the girl was dressed the way Panda sometimes tried to dress; but she looked quirky where as Panda felt like she always looked like she had stepped out of a kids show.

"She looks _fine_ in what she buys but…" the girl continued, "no matter how many times I show her the dress of our dreams she never buys it." She pointed to an exceedingly small dress in the front window. "Don't think so hard about, I was sure these necklaces were a bit too much but I just went for it. It's really just about being you." She added offhandedly.

"_Our_ dream dress?" Panda asked.

The girl giggled. "Fine it's my dream dress," she admitted, "but she could stand to humor me since I can't exactly wear it. I mean I see it in our…my dreams all the time, but nothing compares to real life." She sighed.

"Yeah," Panda said even though she was confused.

A blonde girl exited the shop holding two bags.

The dark haired girl turned to Panda. "Well there she is," she said. "Hey, it's been nice having someone else to talk to, just for a change; I don't meet many people these days."

The friendly stranger stood up. "Is that who you're looking for?" she asked.

Panda turned to see Freddie down the street. "You can see him too?" she gasped.

"Right, well I think I will have a word with him before I catch up with Cassie," the dark haired girl said.

She walked up to Freddie and began to speak, but Panda couldn't hear the conversation. It looked like she was scolding him. Then she quickly turned and rushed to catch up with the blonde girl. It looked like she was scolding the girl about something, but she obviously wasn't being seen or heard. Panda realized she had been talking to another ghost this whole time and felt embarrassed that people must have seen her talking to herself.

Freddie walked up to her slowly. "I'm so sorry Panda, I never should have…"

"Save it," Panda interrupted out loud.

She looked around nervously and then thought, "Just shut up and listen to me because you have to help me figure out how to fix this and it's going to be even harder to convince Thomas and Effy than it was to make me believe it."

She paused for a moment. "What did she talk to you about?" she asked.

"She asked me what I did, called me a twat, and then I think she gave me to the answer to our problem," he said. "Because apparently I can enter people's dreams as opposed to invading their bodies…" He paused. "I'm really sorry Panda, I mean that."

"Fix it," she thought, "and I will work on forgiving you."

She wondered what the girls name was; she had never thought to ask.

"Thelma," Freddie answered.

***I know the reference is a little confusing.* *I do not own Skins, Skins Characters, Hex, or Hex Characters* (Also this is a one time only cross-over and will not be a regular thing)**


	13. What's Cookin'

Chapter Thirteen: What's Cookin'

Emily woke up squinting; the sun was glinting through the leaves and she wasn't sure where she was or how she had gotten there. Sitting up, she discovered that ever muscle in her body ached and she had scratches all over her body. She also discovered she was practically naked; her clothes hanging loose and tattered.

She tried to cover herself when she heard the bushes rustle close by. She crawled as far as she could back into the foliage to hide. Cook came into view, caring a small plastic bag.

He spotted her. "Hey Ems, I found some clothes to get home in," he said dumping them out on the ground in front of her. "Not that I'm complaining on the view, just figured it's the least I could do."

"You left me out here alone? Naked!" she glared at him.

He laughed before stopping to look apologetic. "Well I tried to hide you in the bushes, but you kept pushing me away. So if I hadn't gotten us something then we would have both been out here naked still."

She rummaged through the pile of random clothing and threw on the first shirt she found; it smelled very questionable. "Let's just get home before Naomi freaks out anymore than she already is."

She struggled to pull on a pair of pants that looked like they might be her size when a thought struck her. "Where did you get these?"

"I creatively found them." Was all her would say. "Don't complain ok? I saved the best for you."

"What happened last night? I don't remember what happened," she asked. "I remember hugging Naomi and you grabbing me and Naomi calling for us and then…nothing."

He reached down to help her up. "I remember it. I'll explain when we get back, Naomi should hear about it too."

They began to walk, following the path of their destruction back through the park. From time to time they would find a piece of their clothing; Emily would pick up the scraps and give Cook a questioning look.

"It wasn't sexual," Cook assured. "Definitely wasn't flirty." He added rubbing his jaw that was still red and sore looking.

The redhead saw something on the other side of hedge and jogged over prepared to add it to the tattered remnants of her wardrobe.

For a moment she stood frozen still. "Why are you bothering with that Ems? I doubt you can sew it back together." Cook laughed before following her line of sight.

"Naoms…" Emily whispered before dropping to the ground next to her. "Naomi, can you hear me?"

She shot an angry look at the boy standing behind her. "What happened?" she demanded.

"We didn't…" he insisted. "She probably followed us but we didn't…"

He reached out intending to shake Naomi, but Emily slapped his hand away. "Look she's breathing, but we need to get her warmed up; I think she's in shock."

Emily let Cook pick Naomi up carefully and held her hand as he carried her home. The back door stood wide open and Emily rushed in ahead of Cook and cleared a space on the couch. She turned the heat up and changed into clean clothes as quickly as she could; she returned to the living room with a heavy blanket. She covered the blonde and then curled up next to her as gently as she could. Cook sat on the floor in front of the couch with his back to them and turned slightly so he could see their faces while they talked.

Naomi's eyes were open, the cold blue of them slightly hazy like she didn't really see where she was. She shivered and Emily readjusted herself so she could see her girlfriend's face more easily.

"Maybe we should take her to the hospital," the redhead said nervously.

"Naomikins is tough," he assured her. "Just give her a little time. Let her get warmed up, let her realize she is safe."

Her warm brown eyes were filling with tears. "I just don't know what to do. Do I talk to her? Should we try to get her to drink something? This is all my fault. It's all my fault." Emily fought back the tears.

The tiniest of whispers escaped her girlfriend's lips. "Shut it…shut it… no one else would ever think of it that way…"

"Naoms?" Emily whispered, turning the girl's head towards her. "Naomi are you ok? What can I get you? What happened?"

"I saw you…" Naomi struggled through a painfully dry throat. "I tried to find you…"

Cook jumped up and headed to the kitchen to get her something to drink.

"There was blood…" she continued, "and I was scared…I had to find you Ems, I had to find you…and I found part of your shirt…I thought you were dead."

"I'm here, I'm ok," Emily soothed. "I'm so sorry Naomi."

Cook returned with a glass of water and Emily propped Naomi up to help her drink, but the still shivering girl would barely drink.

"I saw you," she continued. "I thought you were dead and I heard growling and fighting…but then I saw you, but you were a monster, I knew it was you…but you weren't you…"

"Ssshhhh…" Cook said, holding the glass back up to her lips "Don't think about it right now. I'll explain it all. Just don't think of it now. Drink this," he added in a stern tone.

* * *

><p>"She what?" Katie exclaimed after Effy had finally let her into the bedroom to tell her what was wrong.<p>

"Yes," Effy said.

"So she just…proclaimed her love for you and then…pounced?" Katie repeated, trying to wrap her head around it.

"Pretty much." The blue eyed girl sighed.

She was confused; she knew she didn't feel that way for Panda, but that kiss. She had felt something in that kiss that she couldn't explain.

"I thought her and Thomas were happy," Katie mused. "Don't get me wrong, I always thought she had a little girl crush on you, but I always felt she was so hung up on Thomas that it would never amount to anything."

Effy gave her a what-the-fuck look. "I mean, like a friend crush, it happens, it's normal," She insisted.

"Whatever," Effy groaned.

The house phone rang and they both rolled their eyes. They couldn't get to the phone because they only had the bedrooms and upstairs bathroom windows blocked off because they didn't want the house to look suspicious from the outside. Essentially they could only navigate the upstairs part of the house safely during the day and that was only if they avoided the widow over the stairway. Katie's phone began to ring.

"It's Panda, want me to handle it?" Katie offered.

The other girl nodded and Katie stood up and began to edge her way out the door, towards Ms. Stonem's room, which was hers now.

"Well hello girl Romeo," she said jokingly into the phone. "No…I don't think you should come over just now…" She paused. "Because that's not fair. If you are going to come over then you should do it when Effy is able to get up and leave if she wants to."

Katie put the phone on speaker and set it on the bedside table while she began picking clothes up off the floor.

"It wasn't me!" Panda insisted over the phone. "It was Freddie."

Katie spun around and grabbed the phone quickly shutting off the speaker phone. "What are you talking about?"

"I don't know how to explain it…We were going to prove it, but apparently vampires don't dream or whatever so Freddie can't explain that he possessed me," she continued.

"Look if you regret it you could just come over tonight and apologize." Katie laughed into the phone. "Just don't bring him up as your defense because that's just low."

"I'm not. I just don't know how to prove it…" Panda pleaded.

"Just saying," Katie said sternly, "don't come over until it's dark and you know what you want to say." She hung up quickly.

"That's a strange excuse," Effy stated.

Katie spun around to see her in the doorway. "I thought you didn't want to hear. That's why I left the room."

"Guess I couldn't really help it." She shrugged pointing at her ears as if to say _curse__this__vampire_ _hearing_.

"Sorry," Katie apologized sheepishly.

* * *

><p>They had finally gotten Naomi to drink a few glasses of water and eat a little. She had fallen asleep and they had taken shifts watching her while the other got a shower. Emily had bagged and thrown out the clothes that Cook had found for them in the park. They found themselves in silence; neither of them really looking the other in the eye because there was nothing to say yet. Naomi stirred under the blanket and reached her hand out in search of the water glass.<p>

"Hey," Emily smiled, handing her the glass. "How are you feeling?"

Naomi took a sip of water and sat up. "Better," she answered.

The blonde stretched and tried to shake off the stiffness from a night spent on the cold ground. Cook let out a sigh of relief.

"So…" Naomi ventured. "Is someone going to explain what happened?"

Both girls look at Cook who was sitting sideways in the comfy chair across the room.

"Yeah, I think I would like to hear what happened too," Emily added.

Cook stood up and stretched before plopping down on the floor close to the sofa. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it slowly.

"Ok, so, I'm a werewolf and now, due to unfortunate events, Ems here is too," he began.

The girls looked at him in shock and Naomi stroked the spot on Emily's arm where the stitches had been.

"On the bright side, the state thinks I'm dead so I don't have to worry about that anymore," he said trying to break the tension. "It's not all bad Emily. You just have to be better at keeping track of the days than I am. Or nights really."

"But how?" Emily asked.

"Foster, that prick, I went to find out what happened to Freddie and we fought," he said. "I had him flat out at first, but then he changed. I barely managed to get away alive. Then next thing you know I'm licking my privs and howling at the moon."

"And that was a change?" Naomi couldn't keep the comment from slipping out.

Emily laughed despite herself. "So why can you remember, but I can't?"

"I didn't remember the first time either, it comes with time." He looked at them both. "I would have left for good. I would have if I'd thought this would happen," he apologized. "I just had to stay for a little while longer."

"You shouldn't go through this alone," Naomi said.

"It wasn't on purpose," Emily added. "What were you staying for anyway?"

"Foster," Cook said. "He killed Freddie, my best friend; beat him to death and then cut him up." He shook his head angrily. "He's not getting away with that. I can't let him get away with that. No way."

His stared at the floor. "This is my fault. I was hung up on Effy and I didn't have his back. If I had, then we both would have been there and this never would have happened…to any of us." He looked back up and shrugged it off. "So that's it. I find him, beat the piss out of him, kill him, and this will all be done and finished."

"Blimey!" Panda said.

They all jumped and turned quickly to see the chunky blonde in the doorway with her mouth hanging open. "Sorry," she said quickly. "It's just…I can't go to Effy and Katie's…or Thomas'…and I just needed to talk to someone and the back door is wide open and I was worried…"

"So…" Emily said. "Did you hear…"

Panda nodded excitedly. "But it's ok…totally…I mean I really think it could work out fine…I mean Katie and Effy seem to be ok and they're…" She fell silent.

"They're what?" Naomi asked quickly.

"Nothing!" Panda backpedaled. "But Freddie's a ghost and I can see him and hear him. How's that? I thought I was loony, but turns out he's real."

She bounced a little, completely missing the looks on their faces. "I'm freaking psychic or something."


	14. Thomorrow is Another Day

**I'm trying very hard not to fall behind so that I can keep updating daily. Let me know what you think.**

Chapter Fourteen: Thomo-rrow is Another Day

Thomas was running; he passed silently through alleyway behind the bar and out into the street. Before he knew it, he was passing the bench where he had first met Panda. As he passed it he could have sworn he saw a box wrapped in a pink bow sitting exactly where she had been sitting the first time he saw her. He pushed on, cutting through the park. Ahead on the path he could see a group of three standing off to the side and staring at him. As he got closer, they came into focus; it was Emily, Naomi, and Cook. He wanted to stop and talk, but he couldn't; out or the corner of his eye he thought he saw dog collars on Cook and the redheaded girl and it seemed that Naomi was holding them on a leash. He shook his head. He had to be imagining it; perhaps he was dehydrated. After all, he had been running for a long time. As he was passing the lake he saw Katie and Effy waist deep in the water, but as he looked at them, the water around them turned red; they looked at him and beckoned him to join them—smiling with sharp teeth that dripped blood. He was breaking into a cold sweat and he pushed onward. He was almost out of the park; he could see the exit and was filled with the certainty that if he could just get out everything would be fine. If he could just make it. There was someone blocking the path out, standing just in the archway, and as he came closer he could see it was Panda.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'm so sorry Thomas." She began to cry.

He couldn't speak; he pushed past her, but there she stood in front of him again.

"It's my fault," she said. "Not hers."

It didn't make any sense; Thomas jogged in place while he decided what to do. He couldn't look her in the eyes.

"Thomas," she said. And out of reflex he looked, but she wasn't there anymore.

Freddie stood in front of him. "It's not her fault. It was me."

Thomas looked around to find himself back in the alley way; he needed to run—it was all he could think. He rounded the corner again and was stopped dead in his tracks by Freddie.

"Ok. I don't know how to work this whole controlling your dreams thing, but you have to listen to me. Ok?" Freddie said. "Because trying to get through to you with all this subconscious stuff going on just isn't working."

Thomas stopped and the street around them began to fade away. "What is happening?" he asked.

"You're dreaming," Freddie answered. "A very vivid dream that I don't really know what to do with…but you are actually more observant than you think…but the important thing is. Panda wasn't kissing Effy. That was me; I possessed her."

Freddie paused as the last of the color and shapes faded from the dream leaving only the two of them in a pool of light surrounded by darkness.

"This is going to be really hard to explain, but I need you to listen carefully and remember this when you wake up," The ghost continued.

* * *

><p>It was finally dark enough to leave; Katie and Effy were fixing up each others hair since they couldn't use mirrors. Effy stepped back and turned around slowly.<p>

"Yep, the boys will be drooling like always," Katie assured.

"Yeah, you too," the blue eyed vampire said after her friend had turned for one last once over.

"It's too easy, really," Katie mockingly sighed.

"Well I'm going to go before Panda comes over and…whatever she was planning to do," Effy said.

"Yeah, go on ahead," she said with a twinkle in her deep brown eyes. "I'm going to hang back and give the boys a fighting chance."

The other girl raised an eyebrow, but she was hungry so she shrugged and headed out quickly. Katie stood at the window and watched as her roommate disappeared towards the club. She waited about fifteen minutes before going back to her room and picking up her phone.

"Hey mom," Katie said. "Yeah, I'm fine. How's James? Good."

She breathed a sigh of relief; her brother's hand was healing well and he seemed to be normal still. She wasn't sure how to feel about it all; it was the first time she'd ever hurt him without it being on purpose and in retaliation for him spying on her.

"No mom, Effy needs me to stay with her…" she lied. "Well her dad's gone, and she got back from the hospital to find her mom is off with some guy. I just don't want to leave her alone right now. Love you too."

She hung up and instinctively sniffled and dabbed at her eyes even though she wasn't physically crying. Katie fidgeted with her clothes and then headed out the door to catch up with Effy.

"So, what's been going on here?" Emily said as she came around the side of the house.

Katie went stiff and then swung around. "What?"

"Since when do you live at Effy's?" Emily asked.

Truth be told, she was hurt that her sister hadn't just told her about this move. The fact that it had been kept a secret made her suspicious. Emily was frustrated because she wanted to talk to her sister about the big change in her life, but she couldn't bring herself to when there was obviously something Katie was hiding.

"Since I wanted to," her sister replied. "What does it matter?"

"Nothing," Emily said. "Just thought you might tell me if something big happened."

Katie eyed her intently. "I am pretty sure you didn't talk to mom. So who exactly…" she rolled her eyes. "Panda. Of course, I told her to let me tell you myself in my own way."

"It slipped out," Emily tired to smooth things over. "She really didn't mean to say anything and she didn't say much—just that you were staying here with Effy and…"

"It's so not as bad as it sounds," Katie interrupted. "I haven't killed any of them, they just pass out and I stop."

"…Wait…What?" Emily said.

"And it's not like I asked for it, but it happened. I have to have blood so the best I can do is leave them aliv,." Katie continued, ignoring her sister's look of shock and confusion.

"…Wait…What?" She repeated.

"So I'm a vampire now! You don't get to judge me; I only bit James and he's fine. I just talked to mom and he's perfectly fine. So I could be doing a lot worse you know." The vampire finished.

Emily just stared not able to even blink.

"What?" Katie spat.

She didn't know what to say. Finally she shrugged and took a deep breath, "So? Cook is alive and he turned me into a werewolf."

Katie rolled her eyes. "Naomi's sarcasm is starting to rub off on you."

She thought her sister was being pretty glib about all this. Here she was, pouring her heart out about how she had been turned into a vampire and all she could do was try to laugh it off by saying she's a werewolf.

* * *

><p>JJ had started his search that morning outside Effy's house; he assumed it would be one of the first places Freddie would try to go. After that he tried the shed, but still there was no luck. He had even swung by Naomi and Emily's even though he had to be careful not to be seen; he wasn't ready to explain this just yet. He had spent the whole day looking for the friend he had worked so hard to bring back to life. He couldn't think of anywhere else to look. The only thing he could think to do was head home and hope that maybe Freddie was there looking for him; it was a long shot, but he was out of ideas.<p>

As he trudged home feeling defeated. A car zoomed close by, splashing him with muddy water from the street.

"Shit! Shitification!" JJ exclaimed. He stared after the car, music was blaring from it as it swerved down the street and out of sight.

Then it dawned on him that there was one place he hadn't thought to look yet. He turned around and headed for the club.


	15. Intervention With the Vampires

Chapter Fifteen: Intervention With the Vampires

As JJ headed for the club, his head buzzed with the problems that could arise from Freddie's body wandering the streets. What if the wrong person saw him or if unforeseen side effects began to set in on the body? What if someone found him and took him to the hospital? JJ was pretty sure there would be some instant red flags if that happened. The more he thought, the more panicked he became and the night seemed to get darker and the city larger and more confusing.

He rounded the corner and saw his friends outside the club. He couldn't help it; seeing them filled him with a sense of relief. Katie was the first to see him and she quickly swatted Emily on the shoulder.

"JJ?" she called.

He paused; this was not the perfect time to explain what he had been doing, it wasn't the way he had planned this at all. He took a deep breath and prepared to feed them the most convincing lie he could come up with on the spot.

"I need you to help me find Freddie," he said before he could stop himself. "I know it sounds weird, but you have to help me look for him."

Panda pulled herself free from Thomas's amorous grip. "JJ!" she said excitedly. "Freddie's right here." She said pointing to her left.

JJ looked around quickly, but didn't see any trace of his reanimated friend.

"I don't mean like in our hearts and memories." He sighed in frustration. "I'll explain it later, let's get in there and look for…Cook?"

"Back's all locked up too, but I did find out why it's all shut down," Cook said as he came back around the building. "JJ!"

JJ sputtered, but couldn't find any words. Emily stepped forward to try to steady him, but it was too late. He fainted and dropped to the ground.

Thomas and Cook deposited JJ onto the vampire's couch. Effy wandered into the kitchen to see what she could feed everyone that wasn't expired. She finally returned with an unopened bag of chips, a package of cookies, and bottle of vodka. JJ had woken up with a little none too gentle nudging from Cook.

"Best I could do," she said tossing the snacks onto the coffee table. "What?"

Everyone in the room was staring at her except for Katie, who was staring at the TV. The news was running.

"The businesses on this block of Bristol are shut down on curfew due to a string of attacks on young men. The boys, who cannot be name at the moment, say they cannot remember any details. Several have been hospitalized due to severe blood loss. Police refuse to comment just yet as to if this could be related to the murder of James Cook and Freddie McClair three months ago, which still under investigation as well…"

Effy grabbed the remote and turned the TV off. Everyone in the room was awkwardly not looking directly at her.

"So…Cook is alive…" JJ started.

"And a werewolf," Naomi added. "So is Ems."

"And Katie and Effy are vampires…" he continued.

"Freddie's a ghost and I can see him," Panda said. "He possessed me and everything but now he won't do that anymore." She glared at the empty corner of the room. "Right?"

"Werewolves, vampires, ghosts, psychics, and a reanimated corpse on the loose. Got it," JJ said grabbing the bottle and chugging. "Ugh, no that doesn't help."

"Why is everyone obviously not staring at me?" Effy huffed. "I think it's safe to say I'm not the strangest thing in the room right now."

"We can't stay here Eff," Katie said quietly. "You heard the news."

"You think vampire hotties are the first thing the cops are going to look for?" the blue eyed vampire asked.

"We have to go somewhere else. I mean, we're carefull, but eventually this is going to go too far," the other vampire said.

"Have you tried…I don't know…animal blood instead of human blood?" Emily asked.

"It tastes like mud…" Katie said in disgust.

"Look it's not a problem. The boys don't remember anything and we don't kill any of them," Effy protested.

"Yet," Thomas said. "I'm sorry, but from what Katie has said, it's hard to control." He left out the part he wanted to say about the two of them not being the most self-controlled of the group.

"I made one mistake," Effy said. "And I'm never going to let that happen again. Don't you all think I feel terrible about it? She was my mom. I can't undo it, but you have to believe I have learned from it."

"You don't think it could be a problem? Even before this, Effy was leading boys to their deaths…" Cook said. "I'm mean, I'm sorry Eff and I'm over all that, but…you know…"

"Fuck off Cook, that wasn't her fault!" Freddie yelled and Panda jumped.

"Not so loud Freddie; he can't hear you anyway," she said. "You really should take that back Cook. That was different."

"I'm just saying, that's what Effy and I have in common; we don't always think, we just do," Cook insisted trying to address the corner Freddie was supposed to be in. "The difference is, I admit it; I don't pretend to have control of myself."

The door slammed and everyone in the room jumped. Effy was gone.

**If you believe in fairies, clap. If you believe in the next chapter, review. ^_^**


	16. Spirited Conversations

**Sorry for the delay. I am struggling to keep writing. Not to sound like I'm begging, but if anyone does care if I finish this story I would like to know.  
><strong>

Chapter Sixteen: Spirited Conversations

Everyone in the room sat quietly for a moment; they weren't sure what they should do about Effy storming out. Katie glared at Cook from across the room. The curtains fluttered at the window.

"Hey, good job Freddie! You're getting better at stuff like that," Panda exclaimed.

Everyone was jolted by her excitedly squeaky voice. A few minutes ticked by in uncomfortable silence.

"We'd better go find her before she goes on a binge," Naomi said as she stood up.

"Yeah, an attitude like that will calm her right down," Katie snapped. "Can I come along or are you afraid I'll want to snack on you?"

"I didn't mean it like that," Naomi stuttered.

The two of them headed for the door; Naomi pulled her coat out the pile on the banister. Emily got up to follow them out when Cook grabbed her arm.

"Could I talk to you Ems?" He asked.

"Can't it wait till we find Effy?" the werewolf girl replied.

"I'd rather talk to you alone. You know? It being about more of the werewolf stuff…and personal," He insisted.

She looked at her girlfriend. She didn't like the thought of letting her run out into the dark to find an angry vampire, but Cook seemed to have something really important to say. After all, Katie would be with her and Emily had to believe that, no matter what had changed about her twin, she wouldn't let anything happen to her.

"Stay Ems. I have Katie with me; it can't take long to find her," Naomi insisted.

The redhead shrugged and pulled her girlfriend in for a kiss; she reluctantly let go of Naomi when Katie began to tap her foot in _a while we're still young_ kind of way.

"Fine, go," She sighed. "Be careful…I mean it," She added giving her sister a meaningful look.

The two girls stepped out into the now very chilly night. Emily watched from the door until they had rounded the corner. She turned slowly and closed the door behind her.

"So? What do I need to know?" Emily said giving Cook her full attention.

Cook led her into the kitchen and began to rummage through the pantry. He was a lot less discerning of the expiration dates on the packages than Effy had been; after all he had eaten out of the garbage in the past few months when he really needed to.

"What? You needed me to stay so I could help you throw together a meal?" Emily groaned.

The kitchen was in total disarray; cups and plates lay untouched in the sink and mail was stacked on the table and spilled over into the chairs and floor. The shelves of food were starting to gather dust and Emily thought for a moment that maybe she should tidy up. Her stomach growled; she hadn't realized how hungry she was most of the time these days. She grabbed a chunk of cheese Cook had pulled from the fridge and began to munch on it.

"You need to stay away from Naomi," Cook said. "It's not safe."

"What?" She spat out the cheese. "That's ridiculous, I've been a werewolf for weeks and nothing went wrong."

"And you turned for the fist time last night; if I hadn't been there you might have ripped her to shreds," he said. "Best case scenario, you would have bitten her and maybe been able to manage to run off and even that's not very likely. The night I bit you was my second turn and you have no idea how hard it was to stop myself. Truth be told, I never would have let go of you if I hadn't caught a whiff of Foster's scent."

"But I would never hurt Naomi!" Emily said, her eyes filling with tears. "Never."

"You never would," he agreed, "but we aren't ourselves when we change. The only reason Foster's scent kept me from completely tearing you apart was my bloody hatred for the guy. Look, maybe you'll do better keeping track of the days than I do, I'm almost sure of it, but that won't be enough since the weeks before you're going to get all supercharged and horny. So it's best to just stay away, because once that kicks in, you won't be able to pull yourself away."

Emily thought about the past week and how she had felt. She thought as hard as she could about last night, trying to remember any details she could. It was pointless; she couldn't remember what she did. What she could remember was that whatever she did had caused Naomi to go into shock and that was just from seeing it. Emily sighed.

"Where do we go?" she asked.

* * *

><p>In the front room, Panda's hand was sitting on Thomas's lap while Freddie asked her questions that he wanted JJ to answer. Freddie fiddled with the curtains, causing them to sway back and forth as if a breeze was coming in from outside. Rain began to tap lightly on the windowsill and he wished he had followed Effy when she had left. He hated to think of her alone and angry out there. He knew her better than anyone, or at least he thought he did; he knew she wasn't as strong and cold as she made herself appear. Freddie couldn't help but wonder how he hadn't known what JJ had been doing all this time. Why had he felt a barrier between them? Was it because he thought his friend had gone to university? How could he not have felt it when his body was brought back to life? He sighed and walked back over to Pandora and whispered a question in her ear.<p>

"So…you like, sewed him back together and went all Frankenstein's monster? For real?" she asked.

"Oh come on," Freddie groaned.

"You should have asked him when he was passed out, stupid," she thought.

"That's not really accurate; electricity would only cause muscle spasms which would only give the appearance of reanimation by causing the body to twitch. Even that wouldn't really work for very long," JJ answered. "And technically I stitched him together."

Panda looked over at him with her mouth hanging open and a vacant look on her face.

"I'm missing the point and sounding pompous, aren't I?" he asked.

"A little bit JJ," Thomas said.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Yes Panda, I did kind of Frankenstein's monster Freddie. Only with a chemical serum."

"But how did you even get his body?" she asked.

"Very unpleasantly Panda," JJ shuddered.

"And stitched him back up?" Thomas asked.

"Also very unpleasantly," JJ repeated.

"Slow down Freddie, you're asking too many questions at once and I can't concentrate," She thought.

The still unopened bag of chips flew across the room and skidded into the hallway. Cook appeared for a few seconds as he grabbed the chips and sauntered back to the kitchen. Panda began taking some deep breaths to calm down as Freddie paced the room. JJ looked at Thomas, who shrugged and smiled. This wasn't all that odd for Panda when he really thought about it.

"Ok," she began again. "So if Freddie's body is roaming the city, then who's in there? I mean, Freddie is right here so how's his body all walking around without him?"


	17. Naomi Naom Nom

**As always, keep reviewing if you have time; I really need the encouragement to finish.  
><strong>

Chapter Seventeen: Naomi Naom Nom

The two girls walked down the street together in the dark. They had already struggled a little on which direction to take to look for their friend and now they ignored each other as they scanned the surrounding area for any sign of Effy. The streets were deserted and ever sound seemed amplified by the emptiness. There was a small murmur of thunder in the distance and rain began to fall in sporadic intervals.

"Great," Naomi said sarcastically.

"I don't know why you are even here." Katie sighed. "You don't even like Effy that much and it's not like you could actually be of much help finding her. Since you're all _normal_."

"I like Effy!" Naomi protested. "Just cut it, Katie. What's the real problem?"

The vampire girl stopped and looked at the blonde in disbelief.

"You just don't get it." She sighed. "Just forget it. You want to help find Effy, you can help, just forget it. Thanks for helping."

She didn't want to get into anything right now; they had long since dealt with the fact that Katie didn't want to share Emily with anyone. She had come to terms with that fact that something about Naomi just flat out didn't sync up with her personality, they were like oil and water, and they didn't hate each other they just never seemed to mesh.

"No. Seriously. Out with it," Naomi said. "Is it the comment I made? I was just trying to break the tension in the room but I didn't realize you were so politically correct these days."

"You just don't understand what this is like!" Katie exploded. "I didn't ask for it, it just happened to me. I can't eat normal food…I can't cry or dream. It's like there's a terrible numbness inside me and no matter how I go through the motions or try to fill it…it's never gone."

Naomi was taken aback. This outburst wasn't normal for Katie; it lacked the fire and fuck you of her normal flare-ups; the girl looked truly miserable for a moment. Despite that fact the blonde couldn't stop herself from letting out one tiny giggle.

"I'm sorry, you just sounded like an eighties teen movie character for a second," she apologized, getting herself back under control. "I'm sorry, really."

"Look at this," the vampire huffed as she pulled her hair back away from her face. "Every scratch and scar on my body is gone. Even the one Effy gave me. Which is good, but still, it's like it never happened and that scares me. It's like my life has disappeared."

She let her hair fall back into place and looked away from the other girl. "And I swear I would kill just to be able to eat chocolate again."

The last comment was too much; Naomi doubled over laughing. No matter how much she wanted to stop she couldn't seem to make herself. Maybe it was the absurdity of the situation she found herself in or maybe it was the stress of the past few days, but she simply couldn't regain her composure.

Katie eyed her with a look of pure hate; the one time she had opened up to Emily's girlfriend and she was laughing at her.

"You know what? I was right. Effy would never have come this way. I'm going to look for her alonez" The vampire turned and walked off down the street in the opposite direction.

"Katie!" Naomi wheezed. "I'm sorry; it's just a lot to take in. Come back."

She straightened back up and thought about following after the vampire, but thought better of it. After all, if they split up they could cover more ground; she would apologize again later. She continued down the street calling Effy's name. There was a flash of light and a loud crack of thunder and the rain came pouring down hard. The blonde scampered under an overhang in front of a store and shivered. It occurred to her that it was stupid to be out here—incredibly stupid. Effy wouldn't come back until she wanted to, and even if she could find her friend, there was no way to get through to her until she had truly calmed down. She leaned against the shop window and decided to wait for a break in the storm to head back.

"This is an awful ugly night for such a beautiful lady to be out in," a voice said from behind her, causing her to jump. "I didn't mean to scare you."

Naomi turned to see the vampire man directly behind her.

* * *

><p>Effy had stormed out without knowing where she was headed. She found herself lying in the grass, staring up at the dark clouds; every now and then, small flashes would light up the clouds, causing new shapes to be visible for a few seconds. There was no rain falling yet, but the wind was picking up and whipping her hair over her face. She brushed her hair out of her face. Someone was standing over her; she bolted to her feet and turned to face them, her fangs showing.<p>

"Freddie," she breathed, taking a few steps back.

Freddie's body tilted his head to the side and took a few steps forward; Effy took a few more steps back. It was Freddie, but there was something off. He stopped and reached out with one hand.

"It's really you?" She asked. "Do you know who I am?"

He managed to grab her hand and pull her into a hug; she stiffened and stayed completely still. He slowly began to stroke her hair and she looked up at him; even though she wasn't crying, he instinctively brushed at her cheeks and she buried her face in his chest.

"I missed you so much," she whispered. "I thought I'd lost you forever."

* * *

><p>Naomi stepped back out into the rain. "Get away from me," she demanded.<p>

"You shouldn't be out in the rain," he said coolly.

She turned and began to run, but he quickly gained on her and blocked her path. The blonde spun around and took off in the opposite direction, but he caught up to her again, this time taking her by the arms so she couldn't turn around.

"Relax," he said. "It won't hurt much. You will make the perfect third; my final bride."

There was a loud crash and the man let go and staggered to the side.

"Back off, man-slut," Katie yelled, holding a large metal pipe defensively.

He hissed at her and Naomi scrambled for cover under a bench.

"I have been very patient with the two of you so far,' he glared, "but it is time you fell in line. I am your master."

"So that was your plan?" She scoffed. "Turn a few girls and we would fall in line and be your little sex kitten farm?"

"I have powers you can't even begin to dream of—" he said.

He glided up to her, looking deep into her eyes. For a moment her face went expressionless and she dropped the pipe; then a coy smile began to slowly creep back across her face. She pulled back and punched him directly in the nose. He flew backwards and skidded a few feet into the street. Naomi jumped up ran over to Katie.

"I'm Katie fucking Fitch, and you're no Dracula," she screamed.

He stood up and dabbed and the blood dripping from his nose. Katie froze; she no longer had the element of surprise and she had to get Naomi out of there. A bright flash of lighting illuminated the street, followed by a deafening crash of thunder. The vampire took one slow step towards them before the car crashed into him. Katie grabbed Naomi by the hand and darted back in the direction of Effy's house.

* * *

><p><strong>I know I really need to give the Vampire a name but I just can't for the life of me think of one for him.<strong>


	18. Freddienstien

Chapter Eighteen: Freddienstien

The rain was really coming down; Panda stood and the window looking out into the street. The lights flickered in the house and she wondered if it was the storm or Freddie causing it.

"We're heading out," Cook announced from the hallway.

Emily stood quietly behind him with a miserable look on her face. She was trying to be strong, but it was hard since she knew they were only stopping at her house to gather clothes and supplies. After that she wouldn't see Naomi again.

"Why not wait until the storm stops?" Thomas asked.

He still didn't like Cook, but he didn't like the thought of Emily out in the rain.

"We'll be fine," Cook insisted.

Cook knew this was the hardest thing Emily had ever had to do and he didn't want to drag it out. He felt bad enough being the one that had to convince her. Emily brushed past him to give JJ a hug.

"Tell Naomi…" she struggled to keep her voice even, "tell her we went on home."

"Naoms is fine; Katie will take care of her," Cook assured her.

The werewolves turned and headed out the door. The rain was pouring down and the wind blew some of it into the hallway. JJ stood in the hall staring at the door.

"Do you think something's going on with them?" he asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Cook would try," Thomas said, "but Emily would never."

Panda flinched at the comment and he gave her a reassuring hug and a light kiss on the cheek.

"No…I mean…never mind." JJ gave up.

JJ knew he'd never been good at picking up on social clues; so if the rest of them didn't sense anything wrong, then there probably wasn't.

The door slammed open, causing everyone to nearly jump out of their skins. JJ stepped forward to close the door and found himself face to face with Effy and Freddie's body on the front step.

"You found him!" JJ exclaimed.

"Mind letting us in JJ?" Effy smiled impatiently.

The two made their way inside and JJ closed the door behind them. Freddie's body instinctively started to make his way up the stairs, towards the bedroom. The vampire girl giggled and tugged him into the living room.

Moments later, Freddie stood face to face with his body. Effy had gone upstairs and returned with a towel to dry the body off with. Now, she sat on the stairs, gripping the damp towel in her hands as she watched JJ check his responses from between the bars of the banister. Their smart friend seemed satisfied so far with the body's condition.

"No on else is in there is there?" Panda thought.

"No, I just seem to be having a little trouble…" Freddie answered. "I'll get it."

Panda squeezed in next to Effy and shivered. "You should dry off Eff; you're freezing."

The vampire shook her head. She didn't feel the cold and knew she couldn't get sick. She was more concerned with Freddie; it had been so nice to see him, to touch him, but something was missing. He didn't feel real. He didn't smell alive, not that he smelt bad; there was something more than just conversation and shy looks missing.

Once again, everyone jumped as the door slammed open again; before anyone had a chance to look, the door was closed again and Katie leaned against it, soaked to the bone, holding Naomi in her arms. There was a crack in the wall where the door had slammed into it so many times. Everyone stared for a moment.

"Uh—you can put me down now," Naomi said.

Effy burst out laughing at the sight of her short friend holding Emily's girlfriend like a groom carrying his bride across the threshold.

"Seriously, Katie, you can put me down now," Naomi insisted.

The blonde began to try to wriggle free; she was staring to blush because of Effy's laughter. She was a strong girl so she felt completely stupid being held like a child who had skinned her knee. Katie dropped her and she landed with a soft thud.

"It's not my fault you couldn't keep up," she said as she leaned down to help Naomi back up. "And you're welcome by the way," she teased.

"Ems! Your sister is trying to steal me away from you!" Naomi laughed as she looked around. "Now we really know why she fought us being together at first."

"Cook and Emily went home an hour or so ago," JJ said.

"Why?" Naomi asked, her face falling.

It wasn't like Emily to just go off without her; but then again, she had been acting different lately.

"Maybe they were hungry," Panda suggested. "They practically emptied the kitchen."

Naomi walked to the door; after what had just happened, she wanted to be with her girlfriend right now. Katie was explaining their encounter with the vampire while she peeked out the side window. At least the rain had finally stopped.

"Fine, I'll walk you home," Katie said when the blonde let out a sad sigh. "But we have to hurry because it's getting early. So I guess I will have to crash at your place."

"Can't get enough of me, eh?" Naomi joked.

Katie rolled her eyes. "I suppose I will never live that down."

What Naomi really wanted to say was thank you, but she was busy deflecting the worried feeling that was growing in the pit of her stomach. Instead, she shook her head no and they headed back out the door.

"Aaarrrgggghhhh!" Freddie screeched.

His body jerked and his arms flailed wildly, striking JJ in the face and knocking him to the floor.

"Sorry, sorry." His voice was strained and hoarse from disuse.

Every muscle in his body twitched unnaturally and Thomas quickly pinned Freddie's arms to his side. Freddie didn't want to struggle, but his skin crawled, or maybe it was because he wasn't used to having skin anymore. His thoughts were fuzzy and he couldn't seem to focus his eyes. This was nothing like the times he had possessed Panda; that had been easy and loose, like the body was trying to lightly nudge him back out. Everything about his body seemed to be locking in, crushing down on him.

Panda was screaming; she was the only one who could hear the full extent of his agonized screams.

"JJ, take Panda," Thomas ordered.

JJ pulled the shrieking girl into the bathroom and, for lack of any better idea, hugged her tight and covered her ears.

Effy stood up and took her boyfriend's face in her hands and looked deep into his eyes.

"Shhh…shhhh…" she soothed. "I'm here; look at me Freddie, I'm right here."

He could barely see her through the blur, but in time he slowly became calm. A few minutes later, Thomas and Effy carried him up the stairs to her room. Thomas left them together and quickly headed down to check on his girlfriend. Freddie drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>The house was dark and Naomi had to steady her hands as she unlocked the door.<p>

"They must be asleep." She said.

It bothered her to think that Emily could fall asleep without knowing if she had gotten home safe. She was halfway down the hall when Katie called to her from outside.

"What's keeping you?" She asked. "Fine, I promise not to tease you in front of Emily."

"Good," Katie answered, "but you have to invite me in…" she added sheepishly.

**Thanks to everyone who has been commenting. Please keep it up.**


	19. Van Cooksing

**Please review if you have the time. **

Chapter Nineteen: Van Cooksing

Katie leaned against the wall of Naomi's room; they had not found Cook or Emily, but Naomi had found a note from her girlfriend on the bed. The blonde had tried to call Emily several times, but it went straight to voice-mail and now she was curled up on the bed crying. The vampire didn't know what to do; she had tried to call her sister as well, but with no luck. She walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed; she nervously patted Naomi on the back.

"She'll come back…" Katie tired. "She's just panicked…but…I don't think she'll really stay away."

Naomi shoved the note at her and rolled over. Katie read the rushed handwriting and sighed.

"I'll stay," Katie insisted. "She wants to keep you safe; just wish she knew you'd be safer with her here."

Naomi didn't respond and Katie grabbed a few blankets from floor.

"I'm just going to go block off a room so I don't get burned," she said, pausing in the doorway. "I'll find them," she promised weakly.

Once the door closed, Naomi burst into tears. Katie stood on the other side of the door; how had things turned out like this? She didn't have time to try anything else to make the girl feel better; she could sense that the sun was rising and she had to hurry.

* * *

><p>Emily leaned against a tree; she felt completely miserable and now they were out in the woods. Cook was droning on about the last places he had spotted Foster and circling little spots on the small brochure map he had found. She rummaged through her backpack to find the shirt she had brought that belonged to Naomi; her phone came tumbling out and landed with a thud in the dirt. Emily picked it up with a sigh. The voicemail was already full, but she didn't dare check any of the messages. If she heard Naomi's voice, she would lose all control and be back home. Instead, she read the only two texts that wasn't from her girlfriend; Panda's text read<em>: Effy found Freddie and he was all freaking out but its fine now. Is Katie coming back or is she staying with you?<em> That one didn't make much sense until she read Katie's text: _I'll take care of her but you should really come home, there has to be another way Naomi is a total…_ Emily snapped the phone shut.

By now, Cook was all but playing connect the dots on the map; he grunted and tossed it aside and pulled another mini map out of his bag.

"How many of those do you have?" she asked.

"I cleared out the whole display." He chuckled, showing her the shopping bag full of random brochures and postcards.

"Why?" She snapped.

He seemed to be having too much fun with this and it made her angry.

"Because there was only one roll of toilet paper in the house and you didn't want to leave Naomikins stranded," he said.

She grabbed the bag away from him and swung it at his head. He dodged and laughed a little before sitting down and putting his hands in the air.

"Go on, beat on me," he said. "This is all my fault so take all the swings you want."

The angry werewolf pulled back and punched him square in the nose, causing it to bleed a little.

"Are we even then?" he asked.

She huffed and sat down on the mossy ground. "Not even close."

She stared off into the distance for a few moments. "So if we get Foster then we'll be normal?" she asked.

"That's my understanding," he said.

Now that her back was turned, he could let his cheery act drop; he was trying to keep her as happy as he could because he felt terrible about everything. He slapped on another goofy grin when Emily turned around to face him.

"Then get out another map and I'll help you make some actual sense of it," she ordered.

* * *

><p>Naomi's house worked in shifts now; even though Katie was living there, the two barely saw each other. As soon as the sun was up, Naomi would dash out of the house for work or just to be out. The vampire knew she was looking for Emily, but she didn't say anything, and she would listen intently for the sound of the door so that she knew Naomi had made it back before sun set. The vampire man had found them and spent every night circling the house; he couldn't get in, but Katie lived on edge because she was waiting for the day that the sad blonde girl would wait too late to come home.<p>

Katie stood at the living room windows, staring daggers at the vampire across the street. She was pretty sure she couldn't take him on her own, so the best she could do was glare. It had been weeks like this; Katie standing guard at the window and the man taunting her from across the street. She found herself pushing the envelope and braving her way outside earlier and earlier at night so that she could feed and, luckily she was much faster than him, so she was able to make it home before he could catch her.

The man across the street turned his head and sniffed the air; his nose wrinkled in disgust and he gave one last glare to the girl at the window and sauntered off. Katie leaned against the glass, trying to see where he was headed. A movement at the door caught her attention; Emily was setting a small package on the steps and Katie rushed around and pulled the door open.

"You're back?" she whispered excitedly. "It's about time."

Emily looked terrible; her red hair was dirty and in disarray. She looked up at her sister with dark rimmed eyes.

"Not yet," she whispered back. "But we're getting closer."

"Close to what?" Katie said, her voice raising a little. "You need to come back; Naomi needs you."

The werewolf flinched and shushed her.

"It's too close to full moon," she insisted. "Thanks for staying with her."

"I have to; that vampire twat is out here every night. You'd know that if you would check your voicemail…or just answer your phone," Katie insisted.

"Phone's been dead for over a week," Emily said. "Can you make sure Naomi gets this?"

She handed her sister a small box with an envelope taped on top of it.

"Tell her I've been finding the letters she leaves in the park," she added sadly.

Katie's jaw dropped as Emily turned and began to walk away, her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Didn't you hear what I said? That vampire wants her. He's here every night trying to find a way in," she called after her sister.

The werewolf straightened up and turned her head slightly to the side. "I know," She replied angrily. "Don't open the box Katie."

When Naomi woke up that morning she rolled out of bed and grabbed a few articles of clothing off the floor and threw them on in a hurry. She'd had a dream that Emily had come home again; the girl rushed through the hall and down the stairs. The downstairs was pitch black and she stumbled a little as she made her way down. Her vampire roommate had blocked off all the windows to the downstairs overnight.

"Wait," Katie called from the front room as Naomi tried to sneak by.

Katie heard the door slowly creaking as Naomi tried to sneak it open.

"You have a gift and letter from Emily," she called again.

The door slammed and Naomi poked her head into the living room. Katie flipped on the lights.

"She brought it last night while you were asleep," she said and pointed to the clumsily wrapped box on the cozy chair across the room.

"Why didn't you wake me?" Naomi snapped, trying to hide the tears in her eyes.

She stomped across the room, picked up the package, and sat down.

"She's trying to do the right thing and it's hard," Katie said in the softest tone she could muster.

The blonde ripped open the package and stared into the box in confusion. Katie stood up and walked over to sit on the arm of the chair.

"What the fuck?" Naomi said, tilting the box to reveal a bright blue squirt gun with buttons glued all over it.

Katie reached in and took the children's toy out of the box; it was full. "What the fuck?"

Naomi fumbled with the envelope; it ripped open spilling out a letter, pictures, and crumpled money onto her lap. Naomi began reading the letter while Katie toyed with the gun distractedly.

"Oh…" she gasped. "It's filled with holy water…there are refills for it I the box."

"What?" Katie said as she quickly tossed the toy back into the box.

Naomi flipped through the pictures; the first few were comical photos of Cook or Emily, but most of them were just beautiful shots of the woods. She searched every picture for a landmark of some kind that would give her a clue as to where they were staying, but there was nothing she recognized.

There was more to the letter, but she wanted to read it in private. She gathered everything into the box and headed back upstairs.

"Katie." she sniffled as she left the room "Thank you…"

The vampire hoped that Naomi realized that her sister must have a plan. Emily wouldn't string her along if she didn't think there was a chance that she could come back. She stretched out on the couch and tried to relax.

A few nights later, Katie found herself staring across the street at their vampire stalker again. Neither of them had moved in over two hours; they both stood like hateful statues. Once again, the vampire turned his head and sniffed the air. Katie gave him a knowing smirk; she knew he would retreat soon. Maybe she could get Emily to take her out some night so she could get a meal that wasn't rushed.

The vampire turned to walk away, but this time he stopped. Cook stepped out into the light, blocking the vampires original escape route. The vampire hissed and turned again, but found himself face to face with Emily. He dropped into a defensive stance, showing his teeth and twisting back and forth, trying to face both of them at the same time.

Katie rushed out the door to join them, but stopped dead in her tracks when Emily turned on her.

"Katie, get out of here," Emily's voice was strange, savage, and her face was distorted with rage and pain.

The vampire twin took a few steps back.

"Get the fuck out," Cook rasped. "We won't be able to stop."

He was shaking and twitching; his body was twisting and changing already. Katie ran back to the house and bolted the door. Naomi came down the stairs, rubbing her eyes.

"Katie…what…" she mumbled as the vampire slid the couch out of the living room and propped it against the door.

A howl pierced the night, echoed by another deeper howl.

"Emily!" Naomi gasped.

She ran to the living room window. In the moonlight Naomi saw the two monsters she had seen that night in the park. This time she could tell them apart; Emily was the brownish red furred monster and Cook's coat was more of a sandy color. The Emily creature lunged at the vampire and latched on to his back trying to tear at his throat from behind. The vampire shook her loose and she landed on the concrete. As she struggled to regain her footing, the vampire turned and gave her a hard kick in the stomach.

"Emily!" she screamed.

The blonde began to struggle with the window, trying to pry it open.

"No!" Katie said as she grabbed her and pulled her back a few steps.

"Help her!" Naomi pleaded.

"They won't let me out there. They can't think like themselves," Katie's voice trembled in Naomi's ear.

As they watched, the sandy wolf-man bit down on the vampire's leg and pulled, bringing the man down. Emily shook off the pain and pounced onto the vampire's chest and began biting and ripping at his now exposed neck. The vampire struggled and grabbed at the red wolf's neck and flung her off, but he couldn't shake his leg free of Cooks grip. He raised his free foot and pulled his leg back, aiming to kick the wolf in the head. Emily quickly sank her teeth deep into his right shoulder and shook him like a rag-doll. The vampire clutched at his throat for a few moments before bringing his foot back again and delivering a hard kick to Cook's head, sending the wolf reeling back a few feet. He sat up quickly, but couldn't shake the other wolf loose. The werewolf dug her nails into the vampire's forehead and pulled his head back exposing the now shredded neck and the other wolf went for it. Moments later, the head tore loose and the wolves ran off into the night; Emily howling in triumph and Cook carrying their prey's head in his teeth.


	20. JJust Checking

Chapter Twenty: JJust Checking

Effy lay awake and watched Freddie sleep; it had been nearly a week and it seemed like sleeping and eating was all he had energy for. With the exception of a little romancing that is. He rolled over and opened his eyes, a smile spreading across his face.

"Hello there sleepy head," she teased, leaning in to give him a sweet kiss. "How are we feeling?"

"If I say better do we have to get out of bed?" Freddie said jokingly.

"Well, there was some shopping I wanted to do…and then I was going to go out and work on my tan…" Effy said teasingly. "But I have all of eternity to do that I suppose."

JJ swung open the door with one hand coving his eyes. "Sorry sorry, I don't see anything," he said taking a test peek from between his fingers.

"Oh, you're decent, good," He said.

The two looked at him dumbfounded as he pulled out a syringe and headed towards Effy.

"Uh, JJ," Freddie said. "Knocking? Explanation?"

"I just need a little blood for testing." JJ shrugged off their looks.

"You feeling ok JJ?" Effy asked.

"Just going light on the meds, for concentration," he answered offhandedly.

JJ took the vampire by the arm and drew a small sampling of blood then quickly turned to leave the room.

"Ok thanks," he mumbled. "Continue as you were…"

Effy gave Freddie a _what__ the __fuck_ look, which was returned on his face.

"Maybe we should get out a bit after all." Freddie sighed as he began to sit up.

The vampire pushed him back down on the bed; she was stronger now and kept forgetting it. She planted a passionate kiss on him.

"Sun's still out," she said in a sexy voice. "We'll just have to kill some time."

* * *

><p>"Quit pointing that thing at me!" Katie shouted nervously.<p>

Naomi rolled the squirt gun on her finger in mock cowboy fashion and laughed.

"Don't worry, I think the safety is on…" the blonde teased. "What are you so cranky about anyway? The vampire is gone, now you can go off your diet."

"Exactly, he's gone so why do you still have that thing?" Katie spat.

"Because Emily gave it to me," she answered, becoming suddenly quieter.

The redhead suddenly felt bad; even if it was annoying she preferred silly Naomi to sad Naomi.

"Hey," Katie said, "let's go see Effy when the sun goes down?"

"I guess." Naomi sighed.

Katie leaned back in the chair and sighed; maybe if she could get Naomi out of the house for a while, somewhere that wasn't practically a shrine to her and Emily's life together, she would feel a little better. But truly she wanted to go because she knew that JJ was there; if JJ could reanimate a body, then maybe he could find a cure for Cook and Emily. At the back of her mind she also wondered if maybe, just maybe, he could find something for her as well.

* * *

><p>Freddie waited in the living room for Effy to return; the vampire refused to let him go out with her when she was looking to feed. JJ had converted the kitchen into a makeshift lab, which was a step up from his mom's basement, and Freddie knew it was pointless to try to talk to him while he was working. He'd never seen his friend locked on in quite this way.<p>

The door opened quietly and Freddie looked up to see Katie and Naomi step into the house. The blonde girl looked, to be honest, like the first day he had met her—a mixture of miserable and despondent. He gave her a small smile and she sat down next to him on the couch.

"Where's Eff?" Katie asked.

"….out…" Freddie said.

"Katie!" JJ called from the kitchen.

The heard shuffling in the kitchen and Freddie quickly turned to the vampire.

"He's getting a needle, he wants a blood sample. Just thought you should get more warning than Effy did," he said quickly.

JJ was already headed down the hall for Katie.

"Wait wait wait." The vampire hesitated. "JJ, what is this for?"

JJ rolled his eyes. "For comparison to Effy's of course."

"Oh it all makes sense now," Katie said sarcastically.

JJ drew the blood and turned quickly back to the kitchen.

"No problem, you're welcome," she called after the mad scientist.

Freddie laughed from the couch and shrugged at her. Effy entered the room and smiled a greeting to her guests. Katie greeted her with a hug.

"JJ still at it?" Effy asked as she walked into the living room. "Whatever it is?"

"Yep," Freddie answered.

"What's he doing?" Naomi asked.

"Something with vampire blood," Freddie said. "I tried to ask him, but he just gets agitated and locked on so we are just leaving him to it."

"Want to go out Freddie?" Effy asked.

"Sure." He nodded.

He gave Naomi a comforting pat on the knee before standing to follow Effy out.

The two took side streets and alleyways it avoid running into anyone they knew. The vampire girl wondered why he hadn't contacted his family since he had come back to life, but secretly she was glad she didn't have to share him just yet.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"You'll see," she teased.

She was leading him to the place where they first kissed; back before she had been able to admit that she loved him. She swam away from him that day and had kept running from him much longer than she should have. Since Freddie had gotten back into his body, she had been thinking about turning him; she fought the idea, but the fear of somehow loosing him again kept the thought scratching at the back of her mind. What better place to tell him she was literally willing to make an eternal commitment than the very place she had run from it before?

She could see the platform she had been sunbathing on years ago, but before they reached the water she froze. The wind had shifted and she caught the smell of werewolf. A man was hunched at the edge of the water, scooping up handfuls of water to drink; she knew who it was before he even stood and she began pushing Freddie back.

Foster turned and saw her; he smirked and took a few steps toward her. The vampire bared her teeth and hissed. He stopped.

"Now that really is a pity Elizabeth. I had such plans," he said coolly. "And just when I was getting around to freeing you from all repression. All the hard bloody work I put into getting you…alone…"

His face turned pale as he recognized the boy standing behind Effy.

"You…" he stammered. "You're not possible."

"Says the werewolf psychologist!" Freddie laughed.

Foster bristled, but kept a calm smile on his face. "It was actually fun to kill you the first time."

The vampire girl hissed again.

"This time it might actually be a challenge," Foster mused.

Before either of them could make a move, Cook blindsided Foster, knocking him to the ground and standing over him.

"We tracked you down, you stupid fuck!" the young werewolf said, giving him a hard kick. "And look, no full moon out tonight, so you won't be able to cheat this time."

Foster kicked Cook in the knee causing him to stagger back a step; the man was on his feet again. Freddie tried to rush to his friend's aid, but Effy instinctively pulled him back, trying to stay between her lover and the werewolf that had already killed him once.

"Who's cheating? You have your handy vampire ex, and your young lady friend can come out into the open too; I know she's there," the man said with a shake of the head. "You're young, impulsive; in time you will break. It's just the nature of the pack, and then I will be able to teach you; I'll admit I underestimated you."

"Fuckin' twat," Cook said, taking another swing at the older wolf.

Foster caught his arm and locked eyes with Cook. The younger man's face twisted and contorted with rage, but he couldn't look away—he felt frozen.

"You have so much to learn," Foster said, releasing Cook's arm. "Like this…for instance."

Foster began to transform; his arms lengthening and is face shifting into wolfish features; he seemed to grow before their very eyes. His coat was coming out patching black and grey. Emily screamed as the monster took an angry swipe at Cook's face, knocking the boy back a good couple of feet. Foster turned towards the couple and took a few gangly steps. Effy dropped into a defensive stance, hissing wildly. Foster roared back at her and then, surprisingly, took off down the street.

Freddie and Emily rushed to Cook's side, but Effy couldn't take her eyes away from the direction the werewolf had fled.

"Cook…oh Cook," Emily cradled his head in her lap and tried to use her jacket to stop the bleeding.

Freddie took off his t-shirt and the redhead lifted the jacket to reveal three nasty gashes across the right side of his face.

"Cook, can you hear me?" he said, dabbing at the blood with his shirt. "Can you hear me Cook?"

"Yeah I can fuckin' hear you," the boy groaned.

"That was bloody stupid, even for you." Freddie laughed with relief.

"Well I had to do something didn't I?" Cook said, taking the shirt from his friend and holding it to his face.

"You could have had a plan," his friend pointed out.

"Oi. I had a plan," Cook maintained. "Beat the piss out of him while we were normal. I even had Ems for back up," he added with a chuckle. "She's a scrapper you know."

"It's true." Emily patted the injured boy on the shoulder.

Cook propped himself up on his elbows and tried to look like his face didn't feel like it was on fire.

"Ok then," the shirtless boy continued. "I mean—you could have had a better plan."

"I'm sorry Freddie," he said.

"Just be careful next time." Freddie sighed.

He couldn't remember how many times he'd had this conversation with his wild friend; it was probably pointless to ask Cook to think, but just maybe this time he would actually get it.

"Not about that—about everything," the injured werewolf said. "About blaming Effy when it was really my fuckin' fault. I got you killed; it was my fault and now I'm not even sure I can make it right."

Freddie gave his friend a confused look. "It wasn't your fault, or Effy's. Foster killed me, it's him."

"No," Cook insisted. "See, the two of us…we could've taken him together."

Freddie shook his head. "What does that matter?"

The boy was loosing a lot of blood and was loosing his strength; maybe that was why he was saying everything he felt at the moment—it certainly wasn't because he wanted to have a hallmark moment. This was worse than the time JJ had given Cook some of his pills; he had no choice but to keep talking because he had to stay awake.

"Me…bloody me…if I hadn't been so fuckin' jealous, so fuckin' hung up on Effy. I could have been a friend; I could have been fuckin' happy for you." He struggled and Emily tried to sooth him. "…then I would have been with you…you would have told me and I would have helped you like a proper mate…bloody me…"

With that Cook passed out.

"What do we do?" Emily asked.

"We'll take him to Effy's. If JJ can do this," Freddie said pointing at himself, "then he can stitch Cookie up no problem."

Freddie and Emily each took an arm and propped the unconscious boy up; the shorter girl holding the blotchy red shirt in place against his injured face. They shuffled up the hill and past the vampire.

"Effy, come on," Emily called when she realized the vampire wasn't with them.

Effy still hadn't moved an inch; she still stared into the darkness after Foster. Now she knew that he feared her—now she knew she could kill him.

* * *

><p>Back at Effy's, Naomi had fallen asleep on the couch; the first decent sleep she'd had in weeks. Katie took this opportunity to go collect a few more of her things from her room, happy to have some changes of clothes; she'd been stuck in the same outfit for a long time. She had considered raiding Emily's closet, but didn't want to risk upsetting the girl she had been protecting, so instead, she had worn some of the blonde's mother's oversized shirts while she ran the same skirt and tank top through the laundry. Now, she tossed the outfit that used to be one of her favorites into the trash.<p>

She heard shouting coming from downstairs and rushed down the stairs to see what it was.

"It will work!" JJ shouted again. "I did it! I did it!"

The vampire rushed into the kitchen to see the boy triumphantly washing a dose of medication down with mango juice.

"What? What are you shouting about?" Katie shushed him. "You'll wake Naomi."

"Yeah, sssshhhh, you'll wake Naomi," the blonde said from the doorway.

"Look! Look what I did," the boy said, pointing excitedly to a large aquarium on the counter.

Two white mice scampered happily around piles of dust in the habitat. Katie pressed her face close to the glass to see what the big deal was and sprang back rubbing her eyes.

"Shit!" she exclaimed.

"Oh!" JJ smacked himself on the head, "Sorry Katie that's an ultraviolet light."

"Lead with that around the vampire next time." Naomi snorted. "Ok so you are…training mice to enjoy the beach?"

"I'm curing vampirism," JJ said proudly. "See. Cassie and Sid are happy as clams in there."

He sadly motioned to the four piles of fluff and dust scattered in the bottom of the cage. "Michelle, Maxxie, Jal, and Angie didn't do so well though…there were more, but they didn't survive the turning process…"

"Where did you get their names?" Katie said, still rubbing her eyes. "Why not just Fluffy or Piddles like normal pets?"

She wanted to say like a normal person, but the idea of a cure was too exciting for her to feel like insulting him. Even if they were just mice, they did look normal and unfazed by the artificial sunlight.

"Well…" He paused. "The first one just looked like a Cassie to me, and it went from there. Besides, they aren't pet's…they're case studies."

"Yeah," Naomi teased. "Can't you see that? That pile of fluff looks like an Angie to me."

Katie rolled her still red eyes and flipped them both off. "So…a cure…"

**Please review if you can; even if it's not flattering, I could use the advice. And thanks to everyone who has been leaving me reviews, it's very encouraging just knowing that people want me to finish.  
><strong>


	21. Effy the Werewolf Slayer

Chapter Twenty-one: Effy the Werewolf Slayer

JJ had fallen asleep on the couch; neither Katie nor Naomi knew how long he had gone without sleep, but they weren't going to wake him up.

"He's really quite the genius isn't he?" Naomi said.

"Yes. A snoring, drooling genius." Katie replied.

The door slammed open for what had to the hundredth time in the past few months. Naomi scampered to the hallway trying to shush the newcomers before they woke JJ. She stopped dead in her tracks when she came face to face with Emily and Freddie, who were dragging a bloodied Cook along with them.

"Jesus!" Katie snapped. "For once could we not tear down the house?"

She rounded the corner and gasped; she pulled Naomi gently out of their way to let them into the living room. Naomi shook herself out of her shock and rushed past them to lay out a blanket and pillow on the rug.

"What happened?" Katie whispered to Effy as she sauntered through the door.

"Foster," the dark haired vampire whispered back. "I need to talk to you."

"And I need to talk to you," Katie agreed. "But what about Cook?"

"They've got him," Effy said. "He'll be fine; his heartbeat is still strong and steady."

The vampires slipped silently up the stairs and into Katie's room. In the living room, Freddie was nudging JJ awake while Emily stared across Cook's body at Naomi. She wanted to reach out and touch the blonde so badly, it hurt, and she could see in her girlfriend's eyes that she felt the same way.

"Naomi…I…" Emily sighed.

Naomi looked down at Cook's face and wondered if it was possible that Emily had done this. If so, she was staring at the reason her girlfriend was staying away.

"I get it…" Naomi said, standing up and walking to the window.

Freddie finally had JJ awake enough to explain what had happened.

"Cabinet above the sink." The boy yawned. "Excuse me Emily."

Emily stood up as JJ rolled off the couch with a thud and then positioned himself next to his injured friend; he pulled another pillow off the couch to prop the werewolf's head up better. Emily walked over to the window and stood next to her girlfriend.

"We're working on it…" the brown eyed girl promised. "Cook and I…we'll find a way."

"Yeah." Naomi sniffled, "…looks like it's working out wonderfully."

Naomi covered her face, trying to hide her tears. Emily reached out to put an arm around her and she jumped. Emily pulled her hand back quick, hurt welling up in her eyes and spilling out as tears. Her arm dropped to her side and she stared out the window. She had left because she wanted to protect her girlfriend so that she wouldn't have to fear for her safety, but now, Naomi was afraid of her. What hurt most was—maybe she was right to be afraid of Emily.

JJ had stitched the gashes quickly and cleanly; he was dabbing the stitches with disinfectant as Cook's eyes fluttered open.

"We having a party?" he asked groggily.

"Just stay as still as you can and drink this," JJ instructed.

"What is it?" Cook asked skeptically.

"Vitamin C," he answered. "It's fizzy; you'll like it."

"Where's Emily?" he asked after taking a sip.

"Here," she said, sitting down next to him. "Cook I'm so sorry."

What Emily meant, of course, was she was sorry that she hadn't stepped in to help sooner, but Naomi didn't know that. The blonde backed quietly towards the hallway.

"Naomikins." Cook grunted.

Her blue eyes were big as saucers and she headed for the door before anyone could say anything else. Emily jumped up to follow her, but stopped at the door; she couldn't chase her down now. What good would it do? The redhead ambled back into the living room and slumped into a chair.

* * *

><p>Upstairs Katie fidgeted with a pillow as Effy paced the room.<p>

"Did you hear me?" Katie asked. "JJ found a cure today."

Effy ignored the other vampire. "Foster was scared of me; I think I can kill him."

"As in, hit the tanning beds…you know…eating take-out instead of eating make-out…" the shorter girl insisted.

"But he's crafty," the blue eyed girl continued. "I'll need a plan—a good plan."

She wheeled around to face her friend. "And I need you to stay with Freddie. He wants to kill Freddie again."

Katie gave up for the moment; she could see that Effy was shaken. She stood up to give her friend a hug.

"You stay with Freddie," she said. "Cook and Emily will take care of Foster."

Her friend pushed free from the hug. "They can't," she protested.

"Of course they can; they've been working on it for ages." The other girl soothed.

Effy locked her with an icy stare. "No, they can't; he has some kind of…I don't know…alpha male wolf thing…He's stronger than them and he knows it. But he was still afraid of me."

"…Ok…Then we will take care of it," Katie promised.

Effy sat down on the bed to gather her thoughts.

"So…about…" Katie ventured.

"No," her friend snapped.

"I mean after we get rid of Foster," the brown eyed vampire added.

"No," Effy repeated.

Katie's jaw dropped. "What? Why?"

Effy stood up and headed out of the room. Katie grabbed her by the arm.

"No, you tell me why the hell you would possibly want to stay like this?" the redhead insisted.

The dark-haired girl jerked her arm free. "I'll tell you when I figure out what to do about Foster."

With that, she swung out of the room and Katie heard the lock to Effy's room click into place.

* * *

><p>Naomi had headed home, but once she got to the door, she knew she couldn't stand to sleep in her bed alone again. So she found herself outside Panda and Thomas's flat, knocking at the door.<p>

"Just a minute…" Panda called. "I'll be right back." Naomi heard her say in a muffled tone.

The door swung open and Panda jumped excitedly in the doorway. "Naomi! Come in," she said tugging the blonde in quickly.

Naomi struggled to regain her balance. "Where's Thomas?" she asked.

"Babysitting his brother and sister; his mom won't let them come over here. Of course," Panda answered.

"Did you have company? I should have called…" Naomi said.

"No! It's great to see you Naomi. I'm really happy you came," Panda said.

Naomi gave her a skeptical look. "I thought I heard you talking to someone."

"Oh yeah. Well there is…" Panda looked around, "…was someone here. They'll come back."

"So that's still happening I see," The blonde said. "I thought maybe it was just Freddie."

Panda plopped down on the couch and patted the cushion next to her.

"It was, but now I see all sorts of people. It's the most popular I've ever been." She laughed. "So what do you want to do? How's everyone?"

Naomi shrugged and took a seat next to the excited girl on the couch. "I hope I'm not sitting on anyone," she thought to herself.

"What's the matter?" Panda asked.

"Can I stay here tonight?" the blue eyed girl asked.

Naomi was as surprised as Panda was that she had asked. Of everyone in their group of friends, they spent the least time together. For a moment she wondered why that was. sure she was a little awkward, but Pandora wasn't really that bad to be around; at least she was sweet and friendly. Obviously the girl had to be smart, she'd been accepted to Harvard after all, and maybe the awkwardness wasn't that much different from JJ. "Why don't we hang out more?" Naomi thought to herself.

"Sure," Panda answered.

"I wouldn't ask, I just don't want to stay at home tonight," Naomi added.

"Because of Emily, account of she might go all wolf and…you know…" Panda said without thinking.

"And that would be why," Naomi thought again.

* * *

><p>Days later, Effy got a call from Cook.<p>

"What's going on?" Freddie mumbled into the pillow.

Effy thanked the werewolf for the update and hung up. She gazed at the boy in bed next to her for a few moments.

"Cook just wanted to check in on you," she lied.

"Guess he took my death pretty hard," Freddie murmured into the pillow before falling back to sleep.

"We all did…" she said, almost inaudibly.

The vampire slid, unnoticed, out of the bed and down the hall, letting herself into Katie's room.

"Emily found his…lair…" Effy announced. "It's tonight."

"Where is it?" Katie asked.

"You're not coming with me," her friend said.

The red haired vampire tried put on an innocent face but the other girl wasn't buying it.

"Let me help," Katie begged.

"You are helping," The dark haired girl insisted with a nod towards the other room.

"Let the werewolves watch him. What if you need the help? I saw Cook and Emily tear the other vampire to shreds," the brown eyed girl whispered urgently. "What does Freddie think?"

Effy's usually unreadable eyes went wide.

"He doesn't know!" Katie spat.

The tall vampire jumped onto the bed and covered her roommate's mouth. They locked eyes and it became clear that, despite them both being very stubborn, the werewolf's sister would have to do things her friend's way.

Effy set out at sunset; Katie stood at the window and watched her disappear into the city. She sighed and turned to watch the two boys who now lived with them playing with the two mice who had survived JJ's miracle cure.

"You know what we need?" she asked.

The boys looked up at her and shrugged.

"We need to get the three musketeers back together to party," she said, a little too much the way a mother suggests a play date.

She pulled out her phone and called her sister; after a few minutes she had convinced the werewolves to come over. JJ was taking Sid and Cassie back to the cage in the kitchen as Freddie eyed the vampire suspiciously.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just feel like blowing off some steam," she insisted, checking her watch. "You have to admit we need it."

The girl was wearing baggy sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt and her hair was tied back in a pony tail. Freddie wanted to call bullshit on her, but instead he let it go. Moments later, the werewolves came into the house and the vampire greeted her sister with a hug. Like usual, Cook announced himself and tossed himself down on the sofa next to his friend.

"You could use a shower," Katie said casually to her sister. "Let me show you where the towels are."

She pulled Emily up the stairs and checked behind her; she could hear the boys already laughing and joking in the living room.

"Where is Foster?" she asked briskly.

"Effy specifically ordered me not to say…" Emily said.

"I can tell you where Naomi is…" Katie dangled the information like bait, "…even though she specifically ordered me not to say…"

Emily sighed and chewed her lower lip before giving up the information.

"Thanks," Katie said, giving her a sisterly kiss on the cheek. "I wasn't kidding though; you really should get a shower."

The vampire bounded down the stairs and the boys cheered a greeting at her. She smiled to them and checked her watch again. She cleared her throat.

"Just going to pop out for dinner and I'll be back," she lied.

JJ stared after the vampire girl. "She's up to something isn't she?"

"Yes, JJ—suspect she is up to something." Freddie laughed.

* * *

><p>Effy stood outside a very run down warehouse all the way across town. It was boarded up and the building looked so unstable that even with her vampire agility, she was pretty sure she couldn't sneak in. She shrugged to herself and listened for a heartbeat to be sure he was in there.<p>

Dr. Foster wheeled around when the vampire kicked in the door. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Elizabeth," he said calmly, "how nice to see you again so soon."

"Shut up!" she screeched. "You know why I'm here."

"What do you feel is the reason you are here Miss Stonem?" he taunted.

Effy reached into her handbag and pulled out a large silver dagger; she tossed the bag aside.

"Stop it," she said, pointing the knife at him.

He was visibly shaken and his voice wavered this time. "Are you sure that will get you the closure you really need," he tried once more.

The vampire was not fooled by his bravado. She gazed calmly at him, a wicked smile spreading into her eyes.

"Yes."


	22. Operation Katie

Chapter Twenty-two: Operation Katie

Dr. Foster and Effy stood frozen, eyes locked glaring at each other. The werewolf had begun to change and the vampire hissed, teethe flashing, and tightened her grip on the handle of the knife. Foster let out a vicious howl; the building shook and a large beam creaked and a board fell loose, echoing on the metal floor behind him. The wolf instinctively turned and Effy seized the opportunity. The vampire rushed at him, the knife poised to stab at the wolf's heart. Foster wheeled around, a large gangly arm striking her across the chest, knocking her backwards a few feet. She stayed on her feet but the knife skidded across the floor with an awful scraping sound and stopped in the doorway of the building. The building trembled again as Effy let out a piercing shriek of frustration. The werewolf circled, coming to a stop between her and the blade, and now she was at a disadvantage. He lunged at her, trying to grab her throat, but missed and got her arm instead; he swung her around and let go, sending her crashing into a wall. The vampire crumpled to the floor and the werewolf dropped to all fours and crawled towards her warily. He sniffed at her hair and paused for a moment, raising a clawed hand in preparation to deliver a killing blow; his read rolled back as he let out a triumphant howl. Effy's arm shot out and grabbed his throat, crushing down on his windpipe. She sat up quickly and struggled to keep her grip while he flailed angrily at her. His claws reached just long enough to nick her face with tiny cuts; he panted for air as his hind legs searched for secure footing. She could feel him pushing back in on her as the wolf regained his footing. She hissed, unsure of how long she could keep her hold on him. Effy felt him suddenly push in closer, nearly crushing her against the wall and Foster suddenly let out a wail.

"Effy!" Katie panted.

The red haired vampire had found the knife in the doorway and had plunged it into the wolf's back, missing the heart. Foster swung around and struck out at Katie, slicing her face and sending her backing away quickly. He staggered after her, trying to reach back to pull out the blade; Katie hissed and tried to get around him to Effy. Foster swung again and got her arm, sending her backing away again; she stumbled over a board and fell to the floor. He towered over her. Effy leapt from the corner and rushed him, twisting the blade in his back before pulling it out. He roared and spun around, drawing his arm back to knock her across the room. Katie sprang and pinned his arms behind him. The blue eyed vampire drew back the knife and steadied herself; then, with a night piercing scream, buried the silver dagger in his heart.

A few moments later, Katie had finished attending to her already healing wounds and she walked over to Effy, who was still twisting the knife in the werewolf's chest. He had turned human again and the dark haired girl didn't look at his face.

"I think you've got him, Eff," Katie said as she took the knife out of her friend's hand.

"I told you to stay with Freddie," she spat. "I could do this alone."

The red haired girl grabbed the other vampire and shook her gently, forcing her to look her in the eye.

"Of course you could do it alone, but why does that mean you have to?" Katie said.

Effy looked at her friend hatefully; she didn't have an answer.

"You know what your problem is? You think you have to be so strong and perfect; you're afraid to need or want anything," Katie continued, "but that's life. No one is perfect, Eff. That's why we all have each other. You try to keep people away or run away…"

"You think you're really smart right now don't you?" Effy insulted.

"And that makes you weak," Her friend said curtly.

Katie had struck a nerve, but Effy just sighed and stood back up. She was tired and the sun would be up any time now.

"Let's just eat and go home," Effy huffed.

She followed Katie out of the warehouse and into the dark street.

* * *

><p>"What should I do?" JJ asked as Emily's phone rang. "It's Katie."<p>

Cook and Emily had inexplicably passed out half an hour ago and they couldn't wake the two back up. The best he and Freddie could do was make them look comfortable on the couch. Freddie had thought about being not so kind with the arrangement of his friend, but JJ had refused to let him stuff Cook's hands into his pants. JJ figured it wouldn't end well.

"So answer it," Freddie said.

"Ok," he said. "Hello Katie, I've got Ems phone…well she's on the couch…passed out. Get that out of his nose!" he snapped at Freddie. "They're passed out. No I think they're fine…no he's not doing anything to Emily…" He looked at Freddie. "He wanted to but…but…" Turning to Freddie again. "Katie says to put Cook's hand down his pants."

"Where is she?" Freddie asked. "Is she with Effy? They've been out a long time."

"Is Effy with you? Ok…ok…yeah." JJ hung up. "They're on their way back."

JJ headed to the kitchen to get a drink and Freddie followed him. He watched the three mice play in the cage.

"So you really found a way to cure them?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, Katie seems really happy about it," JJ said. "Emily will be able to supply the blood for Katie's transfusion. Effy will be harder."

"Effy hasn't even mentioned it." Freddie sighed.

"Well she's been preoccupied with the whole Foster thing," his friend reasoned.

"I don't know if that's it," Freddie said.

Freddie had been excited when JJ explained the cure; it meant there was a chance for them to pick up with a normal life, but Effy seemed completely adverse to the idea. It didn't make any sense to him; Freddie felt a chill go down his spine as Effy snuck up behind him and give him a cold kiss on the back of his neck.

Katie was in the front room trying to shake her sister awake. "Emily," she whispered. "We got him; you should be normal now."

She shook her sister a little rougher, but nothing happened. She moved on to Cook.

"Come on Cookie," she said. "Rise and shine."

She gave him a soft tap on the cheek and then a rough shake; finally, with a sigh, she drew back and gave him a hard slap. Cook's eyes blinked open as he rubbed his jaw.

"Bloody hell," he said. "What's with the violence Katiekins?"

"Well I had to be sure it would work before I tried it on Emily, didn't I?" she joked.

"Like you haven't wanted to do that a hundred times," Cook accused jokingly.

"Well that makes it a bonus." She laughed back before giving her sister a quick smack across the cheek.

Emily reflexively flailed in front of her and squinted her eyes to see who had attacked her.

"Cow," Emily grumbled.

"Fine way to thank me," Katie snapped. "Eff and I just cured you." She tossed her head proudly. "You're so lucky to have me, and yet so ungrateful."

The ex-werewolf girl sprung out of her chair. "Really! You got Foster?"

Emily was already headed for the door and JJ had to run to stop her.

"Wait," he said, jumping in front of her holding a swab. "Just to test the lore and be sure. Say AH."

The redhead reluctantly opened her mouth and followed him back to the kitchen. She fidgeted while he checked the swab under a microscope. Katie watched with an amused look on her face as her sister chewed her nails impatiently. Five minutes later, JJ gave her the thumbs up and Emily sprinted for the door.

* * *

><p>Naomi sat at the kitchen table with Thomas while Panda chatted away in the living room. She wondered how he put up with her now constant conversations with dead people, but he actually looked proud as he sat watching her from the other room. She picked absentmindedly at the spicy food on her plate.<p>

"Did I put in too much?" Thomas asked.

Naomi smiled. "No. I'm just…distracted…"

He smiled warmly at her and patted her hand, unsure of what to say to her. She had stayed with them for a few days now.

"It doesn't creep you out?" Naomi asked as she motioned to the front room. "Not even a little?"

He smiled again. "She's found what she is good at. Something she is meant for," he explained. "It does not make her any more popular with my mother, but she is helping people."

"Well nothing was going to make her popular with your mom," Naomi pointed out.

Thomas just laughed and went back to eating. There was a pounding at the door and Naomi stood up before he could.

"I'll get it, you eat," she insisted.

Her phone buzzed and she stopped just at the door to check it. It was a text from Katie and it read: _Ems__'__s__cured_. Naomi dropped her phone and yanked the door open revealing a very out of breath Emily. For a few moments neither of them could move, they just stared into each others eyes. Then Emily pounced, pulling the blonde into a loving embrace; they both trembled in each others arms. The red head pushed up on her tip toes to kiss her girlfriend and Panda squealed excitedly from the couch. Naomi leaned her head back and laughed as she directed her girlfriend into the hallway, pinning her against a wall, out of sight from their friend's apartment.

"Never do that to me again," Naomi demanded.

Emily kissed her and then answered. "I solemnly swear I will never to get turned into a werewolf again."

Tears of joy trickled down both their faces as the embraced in the dimly lit hall.

"Take me home?" Emily said enticingly.

"Now that it's home again?" Naomi agreed and they ran down the stairs.

Panda stood in the doorway for a minute, then closed the door and gave Thomas a bright smile.

* * *

><p>The sun was coming up and Cook was sleeping on Effy's couch. Katie stood in the doorway to the living room as JJ tried to make himself comfortable in a chair; he gave up and started to settle in on the floor. Tomorrow night, Katie was going to do the transfusion—that was, if Emily and Naomi could pry themselves apart by then. She giggled to herself as the shaggy haired boy tried to find a comfortable way to lay on the hardwood floor.<p>

"Come on then," she said.

"We can't do the transfusion without Emily, we need her blood." JJ looked at her in confusion.

"I know JJ; I mean you can share my room for the night," Katie corrected. "But just because I want you in top shape tomorrow. You understand? This isn't a come on or anything."

JJ stood up and nodded his head. "Yes…totally…completely understood."

He followed her up the stairs and she pointed him to the bedroom; she listened at Effy's door for a few seconds and then joined him. He noticed the frustrated look on her face.

"I promise I understand; no funny business I swear," he assured.

"It's not that." Katie sighed, sliding into bed. "It's Effy."

JJ nodded as he climbed tentatively under the sheets; he knew Effy was resisting the idea of turning human again. He also knew Freddie wanted it more than anything.

* * *

><p>"Sod off!" Naomi moaned as she tossed her phone across the room.<p>

Emily giggled and rolled over to kiss the blonde's neck; their phones had been ringing non-stop all evening and they had not gotten out of bed. The sun was setting and she knew they couldn't avoid it much longer.

"Katie will come drag us out of bed soon if we don't get ready." Emily sighed.

"Let her try," Naomi said, trying to look bad ass while brandishing a squirt gun.

They both laughed and reluctantly pulled themselves out of bed.

"Suppose we do kind of owe her…" Naomi said as she watched the redhead get dressed.

"…just a little…" Emily joked, giving her a lustful look.

"Not the look…you'll never manage to get dressed if you give me the look…" the blonde warned.

There was nothing either of them wanted more than to roll back into bed together and they both knew it.

"She'd hunt us to the ends of the earth." Emily pouted as Naomi tugged on a shirt.

"Yes I would," Katie agreed from the door.

"Jesus, Katie, a little privacy!" Emily yelled.

"Jesus, Emily, answer your phone next time," Katie mocked. "Now can we please just go to Effy's?"

"Is Ems' scooter fast enough or do you want to carry us?" Naomi laughed.

Katie rolled her eyes and left the room; the two girls held each other's hands and laughed as they followed her out of the house.


	23. The End is Nigh

Chapter Twenty-three: The End is Nigh

Naomi held Emily's hand as JJ unhooked the transfusion tube; her girlfriend's head bobbed groggily. They had slowly been taking blood for a few days.

"That should do it," JJ said.

Katie stepped nervously into the room and gently took her sister in her arms and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. She laid the exhausted girl on the bed.

"Thank you so much Ems," she whispered in her sister's ear.

Naomi came into the room with a tray of food and drinks and put it down on the bedside table.

Katie gave her a warm hug. "Take care of her."

"I will," Naomi replied. "Good luck."

The vampire stopped at her friend's door to let her know she was about to have the transfusion; Effy did not respond. She made her way back to the kitchen and slid onto the table where her sister had just been giving blood. JJ was setting up the equipment and double checking everything while Cook stood awkwardly in the corner.

"Ok," she said. "I'm ready."

"Anything I can do to help?" Cook offered.

JJ shook his head and fidgeted with the makeshift I.V. pole.

"Get me some chocolate?" Katie suggested.

"You serious?" Cook laughed.

"Dead serious," she assured him.

"Right-o, chocolates it is," he said, heading out the door.

"Just try to relax Katie," JJ said. "I'm not exactly good with veins, but I'll try to be quick."

* * *

><p>Across town Panda was cleaning in their kitchen when she felt a chill that told her she had company.<p>

"Just a minute," she said. "I'm almost done."

Even though they could read her thoughts, she preferred to talk out loud when possible. After all, when she was home she didn't have to hide her gift any longer, and some ghosts found they couldn't read minds.

"Whenever you can, Panda dear," a familiar voice said.

Panda dropped the plate she had been cleaning and spun around to see Effy's mom.

* * *

><p>JJ flashed a bright light in Katie's eyes and she cringed.<p>

"Does it hurt?" he asked anxiously, pulling the light away.

"Just my eyes," she answered, blinking.

"I don't understand; it should have been a full success…maybe another transfusion…" the young scientist mumbled.

He rushed back over to check the notes while the girl sat up groggily. She tried to stop him, but her supernatural ease was gone and she was slightly shocked he had managed to get out of reach.

"JJ…" Katie said.

"I promise, I'll find the answer…" he insisted.

"JJ…" she said louder, causing him to turn around, "sunlight hurts everyone's eyes…"

"Maybe it's the metabolism. Mice are quite different from humans…" he continued, distracted.

She hopped off the table and stumbled a little, picking up the light from the top of the mice cage. She tapped him on the shoulder and flashed the light in his eyes. He flinched and covered his face. When JJ peeked tentatively between his fingers, Katie was running the light over her arms and legs.

"See?" Katie sighed. "Normal."

"Oh you've always been better than normal, Katiekins." Cook laughed from the doorway.

Katie smiled before turning around, being sure to have a reproachful look on her face.

"I see you didn't bother to bring any chocolate," she teased.

"Oh I did better than that," he said, grabbing her hand and pulling the still shaky girl out of the kitchen.

The living room was littered with candy bars, boxes of chocolate, and just candy in general.

"Where did you get all this?" she asked suspiciously.

"I bought it," Cook insisted.

She looked at him in disbelief. "And where did you get the money to buy it?"

"God you're picky!" He laughed.

Cook thought to himself, "High morals for a girl who had recently been putting boys in the hospital for a light snack." But he didn't say it.

"This is…a lot of candy…" she said.

"I didn't know what you're favorite was," Cook said sheepishly.

Katie turned and stared at him. "If I didn't know any better I would think you liked me or something."

She laughed and began picking through the piles of sweets on the coffee table.

"Yeah…" Cook laughed again.

He watched her select a candy from the pile and made a mental note of it.

* * *

><p>"Where are you going?" Effy huffed as Freddie headed for the door.<p>

"I want to see how Katie is doing," he said.

"I can hear everything that happens in this house…and some of what happens in the houses around us. The operation went fine and she's normal now," the vampire said motioning him back to the bed.

"Then I want to talk to JJ," Freddie insisted.

"About what?" she said innocently.

"You know what about," He answered.

She knew he wanted to ask JJ if his blood would work for a transfusion and where they could get enough blood if he wasn't a match. Effy had hoped that her refusal to talk about it would be enough for him to get the hint that she wasn't interested.

"Then you can save time and stay here because it's not going to happen," she insisted.

"Why?" he asked.

Freddie sat on the edge of the bed and looked her in the eye.

"Why not?" she answered back.

He threw his arms up in frustration. "Because I want a life with you."

"What do you call this?" Effy pouted.

"A gothic novel," Freddie spat back. "Eff, you're a vampire who roams the streets luring boys into alleyways to drink their blood so that when you come home to your reanimated corpse boyfriend, you won't be tempted to eat him. It's like our life is a late night TV show or something."

Effy played with her hair for a few moments before answering him.

"So you only want to spend the rest of your life with me if you are sure there's going to be an end to it?" She sighed.

Freddie leaned in to kiss her, but she turned away from him quickly.

He sighed. "I do want to spend the rest of my life with you. I just want it to be a real life; I want it to actually mean something."

* * *

><p>Panda made her way across town to Effy's house; she stopped across the street to catch her breath.<p>

"I'm not so sure I want to go back in there…" Ms. Stonem said.

"Since you died in there an all…" Panda asked.

"Blunt little thing. I think that's why Effy always liked you so much," the ghost said. "I can do this; she needs me to do this."

They crossed the street and met JJ at the door. He said he had some personal stuff to take care of and before Panda could ask, he marched off down the street. The blonde shrugged and made her way inside the house and up the stairs, waving a quick hello to Katie and Cook. She knocked on the door.

"Go away Panda," Effy called from the other side of the door.

"How'd you know it was me Eff?" the girl asked.

"Because you tried to open the door three times before realizing it was locked," her friend replied. "And you have a slightly irregular heartbeat, you should get that checked now that I think of it."

"Gee Eff, let me in, it's super important," Panda begged.

Freddie opened the door. "Don't take it personal; she just doesn't want to be reasoned with."

Freddie brushed past her and made his way downstairs to the kitchen. Effy's back was facing them when they entered the room, and for a few minutes, she didn't acknowledge Panda's existence. Eventually, she turned around; after all, she knew her friend wouldn't just leave on her own.

"What?" Effy said angrily.

"Well it's just…about your mom…" Panda fidgeted.

"You're doing fine," the ghost soothed.

"She wants you to do this transfusion thing and be normal again," the blonde gushed.

The brunette rolled her eyes. "They're getting desperate down there aren't they? Sending the girl with the shining to convince me and bringing up my mom is just low."

"Honest, I'm not making it up," the girl insisted.

Panda began to address the corner of the bed. "No, that won't work; she doesn't dream… what do you mean tell her you can't help wash this away? That doesn't make any sense at all…"

Effy stood up and glared at her. "I'm not convinced. It's a good try, but just stop it before you make me really mad ok?"

"Just do it…" Panda sighed at the empty space of bed. "It's ok, just never tell anyone else that I let you…"

Effy rolled her eyes and made for the door, but Panda's hand caught her arm. "Elizabeth Stonem, this is your mother and you are going to listen to me for once in your life."

Panda flinched a little in the corner, hoping Effy didn't take a swing at her body, but her friend stood transfixed, a look of recognition in her blue eyes. She sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I know you are sorry and I know you didn't mean to," Panda's voice said calmly. "And I know you don't want to feel anything anymore. I know so much more about you now…isn't that sad? To understand everything I should have done and should have known when it's too late now? But it's not too late for one thing…it's not too late for you."

"Mom?" Effy asked peering into Panda's glazed over eyes.

"Now listen Effy," her mother continued. "Life is about feeling; I want you to feel even if it hurts sometimes—I want you to have more than just echoes of emotion. I want you to live."

"I'm so sorry mom…" the girl said weakly.

"It doesn't matter; I forgive you," her mother soothed. "I just wanted to do one thing right; one thing that actually helped you."

Panda's body shuddered and the ghost was gone; Effy was wrapped around her friend in a desperate hug.

"I don't know if I can mom," Effy said even though she knew her mother's spirit had gone. "Panda, I don't think I'm strong enough without this..."

* * *

><p>Naomi helped Emily carefully down the stairs and found Freddie, Cook, and Katie in the living room munching on candy.<p>

"What happened down here?" Emily said groggily.

"Katie wanted chocolate apparently." Freddie shrugged.

"Yeah, I got a bit carried away," Cook said.

"Obviously." Naomi laughed.

Emily gave Cook a meaningful look and sat down on the floor, reaching for a box of chocolates.

"Oh sure just help yourself," Katie joked.

"You mean the way you helped yourself to my blood?" Emily joked back.

"Well I asked first," her sister reminded her.

Naomi threw a candy bar at her, but Cook caught it before it reached Katie; he paused for a moment while the girl stared at him and quickly shoved the candy into his mouth, wrapper and all. Emily giggled from the floor and her sister rolled her eyes in disgust. The room turned in unison as JJ entered the room.

"Where have you been?" Freddie asked.

"Lara's…" he said.

The room buzzed with various moans and groans; they all wished it would be that simple, but logically it just wasn't going to work that way.

"I told her everything that happened…" he continued.

"Oh mate…" Cook started, but Katie smacked him on the shoulder.

"What happened?" Emily asked.

"She threw a box of my things at me and called me a nutter…" JJ said.

"I'm sorry…" Emily said.

"Well you sounded like a nutter didn't you?" Cook said, receiving another smack from Katie. "Oi. It's true, I would think he was if he came in talking about vampires and werewolves and all this…"

Katie was about to swing at him again, but instead just sighed. "Maybe a little."

The room echoed a chorus of "A little yeah" and looked apologetically at their friend.

"You can try again…" Emily comforted.

The rest of the room looked at her in shock.

"Well he can!" she insisted. "If it's meant to be, it could happen…" She patted Naomi on the hand.

"I think I will. I should give her some time though…right?" JJ said.

The room chorused again with variations of "yes definitely".

"Yes, JJ, you need to let it sink in a little," Effy said as she and Panda joined them in the living room. "But I will even help you try again if you need it. It always helps to have a little proof on your side."

The vampire patted him on the shoulder as the room fell silent.

**If you are enjoying this story, please consider reading my new story Lost in the Waves. There is one more chapter to this story.**


	24. The Begining is Nigh

Chapter Twenty-four: The Beginning is Nigh

One Year Later...

Panda skidded into class late and the room turned to glare at her once again; she stood out like sore thumb in all of her classes this semester. She was a brightly colored girl a room full of pale wraiths, dressed all in black. She shuffled her way to her seat in the front row and sat down with an embarrassed chuckle. Harvard had been out of the question, but she had found a college and had begun majoring in occult studies and she was at the top of her class already. Though her professors didn't agree with some of her wild theories, they admired her unexplainable grasp of the subject matter. She was late because she had lost track of time while watching Thomas doing practice runs at the field; she was sure that the college would find a way to bring him in. They needed him on their track team. Her phone rang, a bright jingle, and she grabbed it quickly and put it on silent. Panda finished class, the whole time feeling the girls from the back row staring at her; none of them thought she should be there and their ring leader had been livid to find out her name was actually Pandora, and worse that she preferred to be called Panda. To them it seemed a complete waste of a name; they themselves had taken names like raven or wolfsbane and other names that belonged to characters in graphic novels. Luckily their sarcasm still flew over Panda's head, and she would respond in such an infuriatingly nice way that they would be forced to give up and sulk off.

* * *

><p>"Panda's not answering." Emily sighed. "I wanted to ask her which of these scarves she wanted."<p>

"She's probably in class and that one…" Naomi smiled as she kissed her girlfriend on the neck.

She was pointing to an impossibly bright scarf with patches of other impossibly bright colors.

"Yeah, you're right," the redhead agreed, paying the stall owner for it and shoving it into their designated souvenir gift bag.

Their gift bag was close to overflowing already and they were only halfway through their trip through Europe. They kept swearing they wouldn't buy another thing, but they kept finding items that reminded them of their friends and they would break down and add it to the pile.

"We'll have to send boxes ahead if we keep this up," Naomi said.

"Oh, thanks, that reminds me to pop this in the mail." Emily smiled, holding up a postcard. "Katie would be pissed if I left out Rome from the collection."

"She's taking this whole thing pretty seriously isn't she?" the blonde said with a smirk.

"Well she just wants to do well," Katie's sister defended.

"Are we done in the market? I want to get you back to the room…" Naomi teased.

Emily pulled her close and kissed her, then allowed her girlfriend to pull her through the streets to their hotel.

"I don't understand why everyone goes on about seeing Europe," Emily giggled. "So far I've had just as much fun in the hotel rooms as any of the sights."

* * *

><p>The front door slammed open and then shut again.<p>

"Don't slam the door; did you get the mail?" Katie called from the kitchen.

Effy's old house had changed a lot since she and Freddie had left. Katie had repainted and redecorated a lot in the past months. Her mother had about blown her top when she found out that her daughter had taken a loan to buy the house, which was considerably cheep since it had such a gruesome reputation now. Still, it was a good place to live despite the occasional people wanting to poke their noses in.

"Yes," Paddy said in a defiant tone.

Truth be told, he loved his brother's girlfriend, but it wasn't exactly cool to like anyone who took a 'motherly' position. So like his hero, Cook, he threw out a lot of attitude from time to time. He was still getting used to living with them instead of his mother, but she had grown fed up with him the same way she had become tired of raising her older son.

Katie gave him a stern look, but quickly replaced it with a smile. "Is there a postcard in it?" she asked instead of reprimanding him.

"Yes," he said.

"Where from?" she continued as he joined her in the kitchen.

"Germany…the Berlin Wall…because the Nazi's were bloody assholes…" he answered all her questions."

"Hey!" she snapped, grabbing the card from him. "My apologies, it's actually what they wrote…" She made a note to call her Naomi and give her an earful later.

"Go feed your mice and get washed up for dinner; Cook will be home soon." She smiled as the boy stuck the postcard on the fridge next to the others and ran up the stairs to his room.

"Life is full of surprises…" she thought to herself as she patted her belly; the doctors had been shocked to find that she had become pregnant. She had been too, but it made since in a strange way. Her time as a vampire had healed her entire body and had changed so much. She picked up the phone. "Yeah…I think I will tell him tonight," she said to the girl on the other end of the line. "Hope he thinks it's good news…"

* * *

><p>"Of course he will," Lara assured Katie. "He wouldn't work so hard if he wasn't loving the family life. JJ thinks so too."<p>

"But still, he is working hard, and it's a lot to process," Katie said.

"You work hard too. We all do. Speaking of, I need to get ready for work," she reminded her friend.

She hung up and turned to JJ. "She's telling him tonight."

The shaggy haired boy smiled as he played with Albert. He had been working on a way to use his 'paranormal' discoveries for more widely acknowledged fields. His professors in college were thrilled with him and they all latched on, wanting him as a protégé; he struggled to balance his time between science and life, but it seemed to be working out well.

"Cook will like that." JJ smiled. "I should buy cigars…maybe I can call Freddie for some kind of baby shower…do dad's get baby showers? Did Liam have one?"

Lara laughed and shrugged; she double checked her bag for the necessities.

"Ok genius," she teased as she pinned on her nametag, "think you can handle him for a while?"

"You know I can," JJ answered.

"I was talking to Albert," she teased again, giving them both a kiss and heading out the door.

* * *

><p>Freddie checked his phone when it buzzed; reading the text twice before answering Effy's question about who it was.<p>

"JJ," he said. "He says we need to have a baby shower for Cook. Think we could sneak back in to Bristol?"

Effy laughed. "A baby Cookie…that is cause for celebration."

Freddie pulled himself out of bed and joined her on the brightly lit balcony. "You look good in the sunlight," he said.

Effy laughed again. "You say that every morning."

She stretched and rolled over on her back; she was working hard to regain a proper tan. Freddie leaned down to kiss her.

"I mean it every morning," He said.

"Do men even have baby showers?" Effy asked.

"JJ seems to think they do…" Freddie shrugged. "Girls do for sure, so you have to go."

Effy laughed at the thought of the headline: _Tortured__ Ghost__ Spotted__ In__ Home__ After __Gruesome __Foster__ Murder_; the media'd had a field day when they found Dr. Foster's body and Effy's blood everywhere, but in time, the public had decided that the doctor had killed the girl he was obsessed with and that her mother had taken revenge and then gone on the lamb. Cook had attested to the story and the courts had been moved by his harrowing tale of torture at the hands of the insane psychiatrist to parole him on a work permit. Freddie had sworn his sister to secrecy; if it came out that he was alive, it would start an whole new media storm, and that would hurt Cook's case and throw JJ into the spotlight far faster than he was ready for.

"We'll have to buy a wigs…" Effy sighed. "For disguises…"

A smile spread across her face at the thought of seeing her friends again; a tear slid unchecked down her cheek.

"Are you ok?" her boyfriend asked.

"Yes." She smiled. "Just appreciating the more than echoes."

**I just want to say thank you to everyone that read and commented on this story. Thank you so much. **


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